


As Long As You're Here

by SunDance10



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Panic, Getting Together, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Hinata Shouyou & Yachi Hitoka Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Masturbation, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Time Skip, Protective Kageyama Tobio, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Touch starved Kageyama, Truth or Dare, Underage Drinking, brazil hinata, idiots to lovers, like really slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:03:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 44
Words: 133,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23320648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunDance10/pseuds/SunDance10
Summary: Kageyama noticed the way the flames made his orange hair glow impossibly bright and the way they turned his eyes into pools of warmth that sparkled and widened with each new explosion that lit up the sky.He couldn’t look away.Hinata belonged with the vivacious, living color of fireworks, and Kageyama felt his eyes start to sting with tears the longer he looked at the brilliant boy right in front of him.He longed to reach out and touch him, but Hinata seemed nearly as untouchable as the sparks igniting the stars above.┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈THE SLOWBURN™ FIC THAT STARTS WITH A KISS┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 1387
Kudos: 1835





	1. Operation: Forget About It

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I've been working on this fic for awhile, but have been too scared to post it. After chapter 387 Kagehina just really be hitting different so here it is! 
> 
> There are mild spoilers for nationals but I tried to keep it as obscure as possible.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Hinata always thought his first kiss would be with a cute girl.

A girl who smiled a lot and made him feel all “gwahhhh!” inside. The kiss would happen on some lazy summer afternoon, a cool breeze mingling with the scent of flowers, and the gentle sound of cicadas would be humming in the background. They’d both be laughing, get closer, and it would sort of just happen. It would be perfect!

But here he was-

In the middle of a school gymnasium that smelled strongly of sweaty teenage boys, complete with a deafening crowd surrounding him. And this “perfect” first kiss was not with a cute, smiling, girl..

It was with a tall, scary, (stupid) boy, and not only that, but it was hardly a kiss and more of a mashing together of mouths that was almost painful.

How did this happen??   
  


.｡~☆~｡.  
  


Karasuno had trained hard everyday for this moment, and they made it!

Much to everyone’s surprise, they were competing in the Spring Interhigh, and had beaten many teams to get there that no one thought they’d stand a chance against.

The lights beat down on them in that final play during the second set, and Hinata saw it all in slow motion. He jumped as if the ball was coming straight for him, but it flew over his head to the awaiting ace. Asahi spiked it over the blockers of the other team in one solid, powerful movement.

The moment the ball hit the ground, the screams from the audience erupted. Hinata might have been screaming himself, but he couldn’t hear anything beyond the rushing in his ears. They won, they did it, their first match at nationals!!

Before Hinata even knew what was happening, he was in Kageyama’s arms. He was so overwhelmed with appreciation for his setter, and so in the moment, that the next thing he knew he was cramming their faces together.

Their mouths had barely met when Hinata’s brain caught up with what was going on..

was he... KISSING KAGEYAMA?? and even wilder.... Kageyama wasn’t pulling away??? Hinata hastily jerked his face backwards, ignoring the fact that a small strand of spit followed it (can you blame him? it was his first kiss after all).

Wait…

HIS FIRST KISS??

Before he even had a chance to process that fact, Tanaka threw his arms around Hinata’s and Kageyama’s necks in a sweaty embrace. He was screaming in triumph, and Hinata couldn’t help but join in as he pumped his fist and gazed at the roaring crowd around them.

This was a moment they’d remember for the rest of their lives.

.｡~☆~｡.

Nights after big matches were normally sleepless ones for Hinata. The excitement and adrenaline running through his body made it impossible for him to calm his brain enough to even close his eyes. That night, however, Hinata was so tired that he fell asleep during his onsen at the hotel. Yamaguchi thankfully saved him from drowning and probably dying. (He couldn’t play volleyball if he was dead!)

He hadn’t talked to Kageyama beyond recounting the awesome things they did together during the game (Complete with awesome sound effects, of course) and to show off the super cool new shirt he bought. As they laid out their futons for the night, Hinata couldn’t help but remember the feeling of Kageyama's lips on his own. 

_I wonder if that dummy has thought about what I did_ ... Hinata thought, despite his best efforts to keep the topic out of his mind.

Hinata glanced over at Kageyama who was also laying out his bed for the night. They had always put their futons next to each other at training camps, and tonight at the hotel was no different.

... _psh he’s probably just thinking about the game. He only has volleyballs bouncing around in his head_

Hinata had heard someone say that about himself once (was it Kageyama who had said it?) but somehow it seemed more fitting for Kageyama.

The boys finished setting up their futons and Hinata gratefully buried himself under the fluffy blankets.

 _But he had to have thought about it a little.... right??_ _GAAHHH I’m so embarrassed!! I can’t believe that happened!_

Hinata tossed and turned violently in his futon... scrunching his face up in an effort to stop picturing the incident. But the more he thought about it, the more he could see the sparkle in Kageyama’s dark blue eyes, his skin glowing with sweat in his effort for victory, the way his mouth curled upwards in that magical moment of a rare smile...

_It was just the excitement!! That’s all it was. There’s no way I would’ve done that otherwise._

Right.. Kageyama was grumpy, stupid, rude, (did he mention grumpy?) and most importantly.....

a boy..

Hinata liked girls. He’s always liked girls! They’re so cute and when they smile.... GWAHH!! But sometimes.. once in a while.. Kageyama would smile in a way that didn’t make Hinata fear for his life.. and does he get a little of that “gwah” feeling then?...

Absolutely not. Nope. No way. No gwah.

He tried to imagine what it would be like to tell middle school Hinata that his first kiss would be with the egotistical king of the court who had been so rude to him. That boy had made him want to play darts with the king's own face as the target. And Hinata hated darts! (The one time he played he was pretty sure he almost committed mass murder)

If Hinata had told his past self that was who he’d be mashing his mouth up against, he had a feeling past Hinata would have stared at him blankly before running away believing the world was about to end.

But still..

He couldn’t believe how much their relationship had improved since they first met.

Did that make Hinata feel comfortable enough to kiss him though?? Absolutely not. They didn’t even hang out much outside of school, besides the occasional practice in the park and study session at Hinata's house when their senpai notice how low their grades were getting. Kageyama was always so moody and grumpy and stupid .. and cranky and....... dumb and......... his eyes started getting heavier..

“Wack” he mumbled into his pillow before drifting off to sleep, laying way too close to the boy who caused all these stupid feelings in the first place.

.｡~☆~｡.

Nationals was a wild place with many strong players that Hinata wished he could play against forever. Sadly, that would go against the very laws of the universe.

“Dumb universe” Hinata mumbled to himself on the long bus ride home.

There were tears in his eyes caused mostly by frustration that they weren’t still playing volleyball. Hinata needed to practice more and more and _more_ so that he could play at nationals all the way until the end!

The bus was quieter than normal, and Hinata had the feeling that everyone was wishing they were still playing volleyball. They were grateful for the amount that they played, of course and knew it was more than most people expected, but it’s never quite enough.

It had been their last time playing together as a team.

A tear escaped the corner of Hinata's eye, tracing a path of warmth down his cheek. He pressed his face against the cool glass of the window and watched the snow dusted mountains pass silently by.

Once again, his brain betrayed him, and his thoughts drifted from volleyball to “the incident” as he decided to call it. His cheeks heated up as he remembered how soft the other boys lips had been (even though his personality was anything _but_ soft).

Kageyama was sitting a few rows in front of him and Hinata couldn’t help but glare at the back of his head.

_That meanie. How dare he take up so much space in my brain!_

Hinata spent the rest of the bus ride doing his best not to glare too obviously at Kageyama’s stupid, perfect hair and forget he existed.

.｡~☆~｡.

  
The next morning, as Hinata biked to school, watching the beautiful sunrise and breathing in the crisp morning air, he decided to forget about what had happened between him and Kageyama.

“‘Kiss’ who? Don’t know her” Hinata muttered to himself as he furiously peddled through the school gate towards the bike parking area.

Kageyama hadn’t said anything about the incident, but the whole team had been around since it had happened. Kageyama was normally not the best with the whole talking in private thing, and just blurted out whatever he had to say regardless of who was around... But even he wouldn’t talk about something like that around his senpai, right??

Hinata was scared of what Kageyama might say once they’re alone (Or do... Hinata was thoroughly prepared to get his butt kicked)

Hinata breathed out deeply and watched his breath turn into a little puff cloud. The sun was just rising, peeking above the mountains and dyeing everything its beams touched a soft rose. Hinata knew the sun would be warm that afternoon, but at the moment, it didn’t do much to heat up the brisk air.

Hinata still had way too much nervous excitement inside of him as he locked up his bike, and his heart threatened to stop doing what it was supposed to when he looked up and met eyes with Kageyama who was just walking up to him..

He knew things were normal between them, however, as they locked eyes and instantly started running as fast as they could to the club room.

As they lay gasping for breath by the door (Hinata won, _HAH!_ ) he didn’t know what he had been stressing so much about. To be completely honest, he had expected yelling and total ass-whooping for what he did to Kageyama, but he didn’t seem angry.

Hinata peaked over at the taller boy. His cheeks were pink from the exertion of running to the club room, and he didn’t seem different at all really. It could’ve been Hinatas imagination (he’s known for coming up with some wild things) but Kageyama didn’t seem to be meeting his eyes.

“You.. *gasp* absolute ... *gasp* dumbass!” Kageyama managed to get out.

“You owe me three meat buns!!!!” Hinata squeaked out all in one quick gasp.

Kageyama fixed him with a glare, and once again Hinata prepared for the ass-whooping. “You idiot. I’m not getting you three..... our deal was one!!”

Well it had been worth a shot.

“Aw fighting again, you two? Warms my heart” Suga, Daichi, and Asahi were just coming up the stairs, and were all smiling softly at the two first years sprawled out on the ground. Even though they were smiling, there was a tightness to their red rimmed eyes.

Since Karasuno was officially done with volleyball for the season, they wouldn’t be having a normal practice session that morning; rather a debriefing of nationals as a team, and a farewell.

While none of them had outright said it, this would be their last meeting as a team, and there was a sort of heaviness and finality hovering over the group. 

As they looked around the gym that had become their home, and gazed at the team members who had become their family, they knew life wasn’t going to be the same.

There were some very obvious sniffles from a few members, and some less obvious tears wiped away in secret.

.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata walked slowly back to his bicycle after school, dragging his feet. His heart was heavy after their meeting earlier that day.

He also was not happy about the fact that he had a few exams coming up that he hadn’t studied for (thanks to the craziness of nationals and a general hate of studying)

“Oi”

“GAH! Don’t sneak up on people like that!!” Hinata yelled as Kageyama scared his soul out of him.

“You dumbass. If you had half a brain cell you would have seen me coming.”

“Who’re you calling dumbass you..you dumbass!”

Kageyama gave one of his small breathy laughs that could hardly be considered a laugh, but somehow always made Hinata's breath stick in his chest. (Maybe he should get that checked out? Gotta be something medical)

The sun was beginning to set, and the orange light made Kageyama’s skin glow. Hinata had never noticed how nice sunlight looked on the other boy. 

“Why’re you coming over here anyways, Bakageyama?”

“I know you’re so stupid and are probably going to fail all your classes, so I thought I’d help you study so come over if you want.”

Hinata ignored how fast Kageyama mumbled that sentence in favor of yelling “WHat!! YOU help ME study?? Idiot, if anyone’s helping anyone study, you know I’ll be helping you. I’m the smarter one after all.”

“Yeah right! How about you prove it then. Tonight. Whoever gets more homework done is smarter!”

“I don’t think that’s how it works- but YOU’RE ON! And I get to go to Kageyama's house!! I’ve never been before!” Hinata yelled with what he knew was one of his ear splitting grins, skipping the rest of the way to his bike.

He couldn’t help it, okay? This was a big deal! Kageyama had never invited him over before.

They’d been to Hinata's house once or twice to practice or study, but this was different!! He wondered if it was the first time for Kageyama to bring a friend home.

The thought made him warm inside, and he grinned while picking up his bike and falling into step besides Kageyama’s longer strides.

.｡~☆~｡.

“WHAAAAA Kageyama your house is so nice!!!” Hinata gasped as he walked in the front door.

“Dumbass,” mumbled Kageyama. “It’s just a house”

“A super super cool house!!!!”

“Whatever”

They made their way up to Kageyama's room, which was perfectly clean (so annoying) with hardly anything on the walls besides a couple volleyball things pinned up.

Now that they were in Kageyama's room ... alone.. Hinata all of a sudden started feeling a little sick. (Hm, maybe he ate something that didn’t agree with him?

“Say, Kageyama,” Hinata said to break the silence. “where are your parents? Shouldn’t they be home by now?”

“Not here”

“Well I can see that, dummy.” Hinata returned in exasperation. “Why aren’t they here?”

“Mom's at work,” Kageyama explained, almost softly. He didn’t say anything else, and while Hinata normally may like to push Kageyama, he knew to leave it at that.

~

The two boys ended up actually getting some homework done, but couldn’t decide who was smarter (“I did more!” “Well my work was harder!”)

Hinata left that night feeling light inside his chest. He couldn’t help the soft smile that spread across his face and stayed there the long bike ride home over the winding mountain roads.

It was nice, he decided with butterflies in his stomach, being Kageyama’s friend after all.


	2. Operation: Touch Kageyama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title says it all..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! I'm back again with chapter two!! 
> 
> There's some very very mild non-consensual content in this chapter, but it's really light. (Someone just grabs Hinata's wrist and tries to take him somewhere) In case that would bother anyone, I figured I'd give a warning as I completely understand feeling uncomfortable reading something like that.
> 
> I hope you like the chapter!

In the beginning of his second year at Karasuno, Hinata made a startling discovery. 

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized it before..

Kageyama really _really_ didn’t like to be touched.

Hinata always thought of himself as having a rather nice personality. He liked to make people happy, and considered himself to be respectful of people's boundaries. But he found himself wanting to do exactly what Kageyama _didn’t_ want him to do;

get into his personal space.

Hinata had grown up in a very touchy home, and to him it was completely normal to hug his friends, grab their hands, and even press his leg against theirs while sitting together. Touching was just so nice and made him feel all warm and fuzzy and gwaahhh inside!!! When he tried any of these things with grumpy-yama, he’d jerk away as if Hinata had burned him. His brows would do that funny scrunchy thing that makes Hinata always tells him: “Your face will stick like that!!”

Sure, Kageyama would sometimes roughly grab Hinata, and he didn’t seem to have a problem with the team high-fiving him (after he learned what that meant, the weirdo). Once in awhile, he’d even let Hinata pull him down close so that Hinata could whisper something in his ear. But normally whenever people would stand too close, or place a hand on him, he’d stiffen up, subtly shift away, and just generally look uncomfortable.

Hinata didn’t know when he became so observant, but once he realized it, the more he couldn’t _stop_ noticing it happen.

“Your jump serve is so cool, Kageyama-senpai!” One of the new first years, gushed, practically with stars in his eyes. He leaned closer to Kageyama, who decided it was time to walk away to the bench to get his water bottle. (Classic)

“Could you teach me how you do it sometimes?” The boy asked with a small smile and wait..... was that a blush??

WACK!!!! Hinata went sprawling backwards as he once again felt the sting of getting a mouth full of a very high speed volleyball.

“Hinata I’m so sorr-“ Yamaguchi gasped

“Oi! You dumbass!” Cut in the angry voice of the person whose fault this was anyways. “Why don’t you ever pay attention to anything going on around you, scrub!!”

Little did Kageyama know, that’s exactly what he was doing..

 _Maybe paying a little bit too much attention_ ... Hinata thought as he rubbed the swelling lump on his lip that he knew had already started changing color.

“Tch. You’re such a dumbass, you know that?” Kageyama mumbled, but to Hinata's surprise, instead of returning to practice, the taller boy walked over and dropped to his knees in front of a wide eyed Hinata.

“Dumbass,” Kageyama said as he reached out his hand to angle Hinata's head to get a better look.

“Whaaa- you’re so mean Kageyama! And that’s the only thing you ever call me! You need to come up with better insults!!” Hinata managed to spit out on utter reflex as his mind was currently deciding it didn’t want to work right. For some reason, it decided to remind him of “the incident” and he couldn’t help glancing down briefly at Kageyama's lips-

“What?? That’s not true!” Kageyama argued as he dropped his hand and leaned away. “I also call you idiot, moron-“

“Those don’t count!!” Hinata angrily cut in.

“Do too, moronnnn”

“WHAA!!!” Hinata pounced on Kageyama and started jabbing him in the side. As expected, Kageyama fought back just as hard.

This was normal for them.. but as Hinata thought about it, he realized they were no longer first years, and should maybe show a bit of mature restraint-

“WOOooo look out below!!!!” Noya yelled loudly as he joined their pile on the floor in a flurry of movement.

Maybe it was okay after all for Hinata to not worry about setting a good example as a second year.

.｡~☆~｡.

As Hinata biked home, his tongue gently prodding his newly swollen lip, he came to a decision.

Kageyama had willingly touched his face earlier, and now that he thought about it, Kageyama touched him more than he touched anyone else.

It wasn’t much, but Hinata felt special nonetheless. Maybe Kageyama just didn’t know how awesome touching was!! Hinata didn’t know for sure, but it seemed like Kageyama maybe hadn’t had a chance to experience much of it.

 _If anyone can get that jerk comfortable with touch. I bet I can!!_ Hinata thought with determination. _He just needs to know how amazing it makes you feel inside then maybe he won’t be so grumpy all the time!!_

Hinata didn’t realize that a slow smile had spread on his face, possibly one that looked like Kageyama's evil grin, but Hinata was too busy plotting out his plan of action to notice.

.｡~☆~｡.

His plan wasn’t going as well as he had thought it would.

He would reach out and grab Kageyama's hand when he wanted to show him something.. Kageyama would immediately draw his hand back (meanie).

Hinata would laugh and lean into his space when Kageyama made a comment about something stupid.. But he pulled away from that as well (rude)

Once, in desperation, Hinata “accidentally” slipped into Kageyama's lap in the club room. That just ended in a borderline fistfight between the two on the floor (jerk).

But later that week..

Here they were, both sitting on Kageyama’s floor as they tried to focus on homework.. and that jerk actually wasn’t pulling away from Hinata's knee resting against his leg. (Hallelujah!)

Hinata couldn’t stop the grin that slowly lit up his face, or the excited jitters coursing through his body that he recognized as the same ones from before a volleyball match.

“Pervert. Why are you looking at your math book like that?” Kageyama muttered, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

Hinata gasped in outrage and chose to use said math book as a weapon.

After the small scuffle that followed, they got back to pretending to study. Hinata was a little too far away from Kageyama this time, and he felt strangely cold.. but he was still considering this day to be a victory if he said so himself.

Hanging out at Kageyama's house was almost becoming a regular thing. It made more sense to spend time there, rather than Hinata's house because wasn’t too far out of the way, but Hinata had yet to meet anyone in Kageyama's family. He had asked Kageyama a couple times about where they were, but always got a brisk “at work” for an answer. He noticed that Kageyama looked a little more constipated than usual whenever Hinata asked, so he figured he’d stop bringing it up. 

Still.. he wondered ...

.｡~☆~｡.

During practice, Hinata was on top of his game. He could see his spikes clearly while he was in the air, and he seemed to be jumping higher than normal.

“Who gave the shrimp coffee this morning?” Tsukkishima yawned, his eyes barely open.

“Whoa, calm down there Tsukki!” Tanaka teased and subsequently ignored the glare he received in return.

Practice continued like normal that morning, but Hinata couldn’t come up with any excuses to invade Kageyama's space.

This called for drastic measures.

“Yamaaaaaa!!!”

“What do you want??” The taller boy asked turning around while drinking from his water bottle.

Hinata ignored the small drip of sweat that ran down the length of Kageyama's throat.

“Eat lunch with me today!!”

“What?? Why should I?”

“Meanie! Because you never do, and we can practice more afterwards!” Hinata said throwing in a few jumps as an attempt to get to Kageyama's eye level.

“Whatever” Kageyama glanced away, defeating Hinata's jumps' purpose.

Hinata could see the gleam in Kageyama's eye that meant: “Must. Set. Ball” and knew the lure of more practice had gotten him.

“YAY!! I’ll see you in the courtyard at 12:00 then see you laterrrrrr!!”

Hinata rushed off to change before he was late for class (again). 

.｡~☆~｡.

The clock moved _extra_ slow that morning.

Not quite as slow as it did on tournament days, but Hinata couldn’t sit still. He rested his head on his palm and glanced outside. The months were slowly fading from spring into summer, and the flies buzzed lazily in the sunshine streaked windows.

“DING DING DING”

Before the third “ding” had finished, Hinata had all his things packed up and was out the door. He rushed to the courtyard and started looking around for the familiar black hair of his setter.

“Hey, you’re Hinata right?”

A voice spoke behind him.

“GAH” Hinata spun around and couldn’t help his hands from snapping into a defensive pose in front of him.

The boy chuckled seeing his reaction. He was almost as tall as Kageyama, with dark brown hair and a crooked smile that made Hinata feel weird inside. Not a good weird... this was more the feeling that he got when he hit a serve into the back of Kageyama's head. The boy’s hands were in his pockets, and Hinata was pretty sure he’d never seen him before

“Um.....” Hinata managed to say eloquently. “W-who are you, you wanna fight?”

The boy had the nerve to laugh as if Hinata were some little cute fuzzy animal. “Fight? You really are adorable, aren’t you? I watched your game and you were really cool out there” he said, taking a step closer.

“Ah.. uh.. thanks?” Hinata's brain was starting to slow down, (compliments did that) but he managed to take a step back.

“You’re even shorter in person.. Want to eat lunch with me?” The boy took two steps forward this time.

“Um.. actually.. I had plans for lunch so if you could excuse me..” Hinata mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

To his surprise, the boy grabbed his wrist and started pulling him along anyways. “Oh come on! You’ll like it, I promise.”

“Wait.. no.. let me go” Hinata's brain started working faster now, and he knew he didn’t want to take another step. The boy was a lot stronger than he looked. “Stop! What’re you doing??” Hinata yelled.

He could feel panic rising up in his throat, making it hard to breath and even harder to think.

“Something I’ve been wanting to do since I saw you fly.” The boy started pulling him even harder back towards the school building. Hinata tried to wriggle his way out from his grip but the boy continued to drag him further away from the courtyard.

Suddenly, a strong hand grasped his other wrist, and Hinata was yanked to a stop.

“Leave him the fuck alone.”

Hinata nearly sobbed in relief when he heard that cranky voice. He’d know it anywhere.

The other boy's grip loosen in surprise, and Hinata gasped as Kageyama yanked him away. Hinata ran behind his setter, grabbing onto his jacket, but peeked out to see what was going to happen. 

Kageyama wasn’t yelling, which meant he was really really angry.

Kageyamas jaw was set and Hinata had to give the other boy a little credit for not running away in fear, having Kageyamas “I will murder you now” face directed towards him.

“Oh, I recognize you..” the boy’s arrogant smirk returned, but slightly less convincing this time. “..you’re that one guy who’s always with this little guy here, aren’t you? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you guys were together, but he’s just so cute and a boy has his needs after al-“

he was cut off as Kageyama punched him as hard as he could, right in the jaw.

“Kageyama!!!” Hinata gasped in shock and ran once again to his hiding place behind his back.

Kageyama looked too angry to speak, but he managed to look down on the boy, who had collapsed clutching his jaw, and said “don’t EVER fucking touch him again or I’ll kill you. You hear me?”

The boy nodded briefly, and Hinata could see the pain and panic in his eyes as he scrambled to his feet, turned and ran into the school building.

For two beats it was completely silent.

Hinata knew the taller boy enough that he could tell he was trying to calm down. Hinata peeked out from behind his jacket and looked up at his face. “gwahhhhh, Kageyama that was so cool! That was just like in the movies! You were all like PWAH ‘don’t you ever touch him again.’” Hinata of course acted it all out with motions and smoothing his wild hair down to impersonate Kageyama's soft, straight locks. ”Although did you really have to play tug of war with me?? You could have ripped me in half!!”

“Shut up, you idiot! Why did you even talk to that bastard???” Kageyama still had on his scary “I’ll murder you” face so Hinata buried his face in Kageyama’a school uniform to hide.

“Bakayamaaa I didn’t have a choice! It was so scary!” Now that the adrenaline was fading, Hinata realized he was shaking.

“Dumbass..” Kageyama mumbled quietly.. and to Hinata's surprise, wrapped an arm around his small shoulders and pulled him closer to himself. “Let’s go eat.”

Hinata never thought that Kageyama could be a gentle person... but with his arm lightly (maybe a little awkwardly) around his shoulder, Hinata thought he might just have a chance.

~

They sat under a tree in the courtyard, and for once, Kageyama didn’t make a big fuss about Hinata sitting too close to him. Hinata knew this wasn’t going to be a new normal, but as he rested his head on his setter's shoulder and looked up into the rustling leaves, he wished he could stay like this forever.

This wasn’t part of the plan. 

He wasn’t supposed to enjoying touching Kageyama as much as he was.

Hinata lifted his head and subtly eased his way a couple inches away from Kageyama's warm side. 

It felt like he was a magnet trying to pull away from another magnet. The image of a little Hinata-magnet hybrid made him giggle a little bit. And the thought of a Kageyama-magnet hybrid with his little grumpy pout made him laugh even more.

“You weirdo... why did I even agree to sit with you?” Kageyama took an angry slurp of his milk, but Hinata could tell he wasn’t actually upset.

“Whaaaa grumpy-yama!! You should be feeling blessed right now that I decided to grace you with my presence-“

“-those were a lot of big words for you.”

“Shut up, you’re one to talk. As I was sayin.. that jerk face boy earlier asked if I wanted to eat lunch with him, and I was all like-“

“He didn’t just want to eat lunch with you, dumbass” Kageyama muttered, his eyebrows once again furrowing together.

“What?? What do you mean??”

“Never mind.” Kageyama mumbled as he took another sip of milk angrily.

“Kageyamaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Shut up, dumbass!!! You’re being too loud!”

“You’re being just as loud!!!!”

“Ahhh you two really never stop, do you?” Cut in the bored voice of Tsukishima as he and Yamaguchi walked past.

“You two better finish eating, the bell’s about to ring!” Yamaguchi added cheerily.

Hinata ate the rest of his bento so fast that he may have given himself indigestion.. but at least he beat Kageyama by getting done first ( _Hah!_ )

  
~  
  


Class started, meaning it was Hinata’s brain’s cue to wander, but he found it even harder to focus due to the fact that he and Kageyama hadn’t gotten any time to practice.

 _Grrrr it’s all that stupid boys fault. Who does he think he is?? Thinking he can get in the way of my volleyball..._ _Okay maybe he kinda did... But it won’t happen again! Thanks to Kageyama’s stupid, scary face!!_

Thinking about Kageyama’s face was the wrong decision.. because maybe it hadn’t looked so stupid earlier that day.

Hinata looked at the wrist Kageyama had grabbed onto and could almost feel the warmth that had seeped into his skin earlier from the other boy's touch.

“WAH!” Hinata jerked and bumped his knee against his desk in his attempt to get these intrusive thoughts out of his mind.

“Hinata!!” His teacher scolded. “Do you need to go out in the hall?!”

“No, sensei”

Hinata folded his fidgety hands, and did his best attempt at blocking out all jerk-face Kageyama thoughts for the rest of class. 

Operation: Touch Kageyama wasn’t exactly failing.. and Hinata didn’t know if that was a good thing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo what did you all think?? 
> 
> Touch starved Kageyama and jealous/protective Kageyama are some of my favorite Kageyamas, and we've only just scratched the surface mwahaha.
> 
> Also please imagine Kageyama saying "BOKE" whenever he says "dumbass" because I sure do.
> 
> Come chat with me on insta @kcfanart


	3. Operation: Panic *in Gay*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kageyama had never felt this way about someone before, and he felt sick 
> 
> Was he allergic to the smaller boy? Was that possible?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now time to see whats going on in that little brain of Kags.
> 
> Pre-chapter 387 I was so scared to write in Kageyama's POV because what even happens in his mind besides volleyball and food?? Love him to death but like..??
> 
> However, after reading chapter 387 I realized he's so WHIPPED and a big simp for a certain little orange haired boy. He just has a hard time expressing his feelings, that's all. Precious boy.
> 
> Anyways, I hope I got this right and I hope you like it!!

In the warm month of May during their second year at Karasuno, something happened that Kageyama would have never seen coming.

Hinata got a girlfriend.

The small, (slightly on crack) redhead had burst into the gym, late for their after-school practice session. His cheeks were pink and his eyes had that annoying shine to them that made Kageyama want to squeeze his dumb face until the weird feeling inside his chest went away.

“WAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

Did Kageyama mention the slightly on crack?

“GUYS!!!!” Hinata gasped for breath. “I JUST GOT CONFESSED TO!!!!”

wait.... what

_huh_

“WHOA, SHOUYOU!!! GET IT!” Noya screamed across the court

_Huuhh_

“WHAT?? no fair!!” Tanaka rubbed at his eyes.

_was he crying??_

“Hinata! Details! Now!” Yachi ran up to Hinata and they both jumped up and down in excitement as Hinata told the story of how some cute girl, blah blah, told him he was cute, blah blah blah, and asked if he would accept her feelings, blah blah blah blah.

“What did you say??” Yamaguchi asked, his eyes sparkling.

_Seriously .. what’s the big deal here??_

The only person who seemed to not care as much as Kageyama was Tsukishima, but even he was acting weird. He kept glancing over in Kageyama's direction and smirking as if he knew some joke that Kageyama didn’t.

 _What the fuck is everyone's problem today??_ Kageyama thought angrily. He could feel his eyebrows were squishing together and could hear Hinata's voice in his mind saying they were going to stick that way, but he didn’t care. He was pissed.

“Dumbass, this better not interfere with volleyball.” Kageyama spit out, maybe with a ruder tone than he had originally meant.

“Gee, who spit in your meat bun today grumpy-yama?” Hinata teased. 

Kageyama could tell he was trying to sound serious, but that dumb shine in his eyes wouldn’t go away. Hinata's eyes weren’t the only thing shining, his whole face shone with happiness. There was still a slight blush on his cheeks, and maybe it was just the late afternoon sun streaming in through the gym windows, but he seemed to fucking glow.

“What, you wanna fight??” Hinata crouched down and raised his hands up by his face.

Kageyama realized he must have been staring and quickly went back to what he was doing.

“WHAAaa don’t ignore me, you jerk!!”

“Don’t mind the king-“ Tsukishima came up behind Kageyama and had that look on his face that meant ‘I’m about to absolutely end you’ -“he’s just a little jealous.”

“What?? Kageyama, you’re jealous??? Man, if you were wanting a girlfriend you could just accept one of girls that confess to you all the time.. if only you weren’t so emotionally constipated! Since I’m pretty much a pro at this now, I can teach you if you want!”

“Shut up”

Tsukishima just laughed behind his hand and went back to warming up.

 _Why would he even say that?? I’m not jealous_.

~

The rest of practice was somewhat normal, but Kageyama could tell he was off. His sets were accurate, but he had a restlessness inside his chest that he’d never felt before.

He ended up practicing his jump serve for the rest of the time because that was the only thing that made the feeling go away. It didn’t help that Hinata had that stupid, goofy smile on his face the whole time.

“Kageyama, your face will stick like that!!!”

Kageyama sent a well aimed spike in Hinata's direction.

“BWAHKK!!” the ball bounced off his head and went sailing across the gym.

“KAGEYAMA YOU JERK!!!”

Yeah.. that felt better..

.｡~☆~｡.

Kageyama walked home alone that night for the first time in awhile. Hinata had mentioned he was going to hang out with his new girlfriend after practice, so Kageyama didn’t bother waiting around.

Recently, Hinata had been walking with him to his house. It was on the way to Hinata’s anyways so they both figured “why not?”

Normally the walks back were filled with Hinatas loud voice and even louder laughter as he told Kageyama stupid stories about things he had seen and done that day. Annoying. Sometimes they’d stop and grab a snack at Sakanoshita Store and Hinata would end up getting it all over his face.. Even more annoying. What was he, five??

Kageyama ignored the rumbling in his stomach as he passed the little shop, trying hard not to breathe in too deeply through his nose, lest he be tempted by those little steamed buns Hinata loves so much.

To be completely honest, he was getting kind of used to Hinata's annoying chatter on his walks home. He didn’t realize how quiet it was by himself, and knowing he’d only be going home to an empty house made him drag his feet and walk a little slower than normal.

He’d never had a friend like Hinata, or a partner on the court like Hinata, and he maybe didn’t hate him quite as much as he thought he did. Even if he did do stupid things like drool when he slept, or receive volleyballs with his face, or kiss Kageyama. Stupid things like that.

Kageyama's scowl deepened even further at the memory that he couldn’t seem to get out of his mind. He had already come to the conclusion that Hinata was just.. like that. So overwhelmingly full of intensity and emotion that sometimes he just did that with people. It wasn’t weird or even special. Nope, not at all. And he definitely didn’t want to do it again. Nope! Ew! Hinata spit! Gross!

The sun was beginning to set and the sidewalk below his eyes glowed orange.

_What a dumb color._

Kageyama kicked a small rock in the road into a bush, upsetting the nearby birds into a loud frenzy of wings and squawking. He watched them fly away until they were only specks in the distance and ignored the fact that his eyes stung.. just a little bit.

.｡~☆~｡.

The rest of the week he didn’t see Hinata much outside of practices. Normally they ate lunch together and walked home together, and Kageyama was beginning to wonder how he had done everything on his own before.

He could remember when his sister got a boyfriend for the first time (she hadn’t even told him) but she had quit volleyball.

 _What if_....

Kageyama's heart squeezed painfully inside his chest. No. Hinata wouldn’t do that. He loved volleyball almost as much as Kageyama did!

_But what if...._

_Shut up, stupid brain!!_

Kageyama decided to think about happier things. It was better for his health. He had just gotten out of class and made his way to his favorite vending machines to get a milk drink to have with his lunch. They had a practice match against Date Tech in a few days at their school, and Kageyama started thinking about that to distract himself. He couldn’t wait to play volleyball against them. 

“Gah! Your smile is really creepy right now!”

Kageyama spun towards the sound of that familiar voice.

“Wha-what are you doing here, dumbass??”

“Isn’t this where we normally meet, _dumbass_?” Hinata mocked with a smile.

“I mean.. before you got a girlfriend, yeah. Where is she?”

“I told her I was going to eat with you today.”

“You what” Kageyama couldn’t quite process what was going on.

“Wow your brain really is working hard today isn’t it, Yamayama-kun?” Hinata asked with a teasing glint in his brown eyes.

“Shut up. It’s still working better than your brain does on a good day.”

“Hey!” Hinata jabbed him in the side and went running off to their normal place to eat under a large Japanese maple. Kageyama couldn’t help the small smile that spread across his face, despite his aching side, knowing that Hinata had chosen him.

They ended up having time to practice afterwards too, rolling up their sleeves and bumping the ball back and forth, just the two of them, as the cicadas sang their lazy song in the background. Kageyama ended up walking home that night feeling better than he had all week. His chest felt light and he knew he wasn’t scowling as much as normal.

Yeah.. maybe he didn’t hate Hinata that much at all really.   
  


.｡~☆~｡.

“Wanna spend the night at my place this weekend?” Hinata asked the next day after practice as they were getting changed.

“Huh?”

“I said.. wanna spend the night-“

“-I heard you”

“Then why did you say ’huh’ you absolute-“

“-shut up!”

They both glared at each other until Kageyama broke the silence; “Sure. Whatever”

“YAYYY!! Kageyama’s coming to my house!!!!” Hinata went running out of the changing room with only one leg in his pants.

“Dumbass..” Kageyama whispered to himself. In all honesty, he was maybe a little happy Hinata had asked him. 

Since he had been spending so much time with his new girlfriend, they hadn’t spent much time together. He wouldn’t ever tell the scrub, but he was almost starting to miss his annoying dumb voice and his annoying dumb face and his annoying-

“Why’s Hinata screaming?” Ennoshita asked as he walked into the changing room.

“Do you even have to ask that at this point? When is he not screaming?”

“Ah... Good point”

.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata's home was always warm and bustling with life, just like Hinata himself. Kageyama couldn’t help but compare it to the stark silence of his own home.

“Tobiooooo, come play on my team!!” Hinata's little sister yelled at him, holding one of Hinata's old volleyballs in her hands.

“What?? No fair!! Kageyama's my setter; he plays on my team!!” Hinata yelled back just as loud.

“No that’s not fair!! How can I play against the two of you??” Natsu furrowed her eyebrows in a determined look that he knew she must have gotten from Hinata.

Kageyama waited and watched to see who would be the winner, but they quickly realized there was no way to split 3 people up into 2 teams.. they weren’t the best at math.

They ended up bumping the ball between them until Hinata's mom called them in for dinner and scolded them for not dressing warmer. The days were warming up as summer slowly approached, but the nights were still cold.

However, if they were playing volleyball, they stayed nice and toasty. Kageyama was glad to see that Hinata’s volleyball skills had not completely tanked since he got a girlfriend like he thought they would.

~

Later that night, Hinata used his single brain cell to decide it would be a good idea to watch a scary movie. “It’s what people do during sleepovers!!”

As Hinata set the movie up in his living room, Kageyama settled in on the couch, and was soon joined by the redhead who was already trembling in anticipation.

_What a dumbass. Has he ever even watched a scary movie in his life??_

said dumbass curled up next to Kageyama and was, as always, WAY too close.

_Why is he like this? Does the concept of “personal space” mean nothing to him?_

Kageyama glared at the tv screen as the movie started and tried to ignore the small ball of warmth at his side.

About 8 deaths into the movie, Hinata's already small bubble of personal space became even smaller. He was practically in Kageyama's lap, and if he wasn’t crying and screaming whenever something happened in the movie, Kageyama would have already sent him to the floor. 

Kageyama assumed it was a really scary movie judging by the screams he was hearing from both Hinata and the movie, but the truth was; he could hardly focus on the movie.

 _Is he always this warm?_ Kageyama thought while Hinata clutched his arm as if his life depended on it.

_Does he always smell like oranges and I just haven’t noticed? Pfft he probably uses kids shampoo, what a baby_

Soon, the movie ended, and Hinata was a shaky mess pressed against his side with his legs across Kageyama’s. 

“Whaaaaa Kageyama why did you let me pick that movieee??”

“You fucking moron, you said: ‘we’re watching this movie and there’s nothing you can do about it! We’re gonna see who’s braver!’ well.. looks like I win”

“Meanieeee can’t you see I almost died??? Show some sympathy!”

Kageyama rolled his eyes and dumped the smaller boy off the couch, ignoring his indignant screams.

Hinata hid behind his back as they headed to Hinata's room to get ready for the night. He almost didn’t let Kageyama leave to go brush his teeth, but Kageyema threatened him with the fact he can be scarier than the monsters in the movie. Hinata let him go.

By the time he got back, Hinata had the guest futon set up on the floor. Kageyama crawled in and got comfy as Hinata brushed his teeth and was almost asleep by the time he heard Hinata sprinting down the hall, barging into the room, and leaping onto his bed.

“WAH the hall demon almost got me!”

“Are you five years old, dumbass?”

“Shut up! I’m super scared right now!”

Kageyama felt a small laugh escape him, and looked up to where Hinata was buried underneath his protective blankets. The sun had set long ago, and the moonlight filtering through the window made everything look so soft. Hinata poked his head out of his sheets and looked down at Kageyama.

“What?” Kageyama asked

“I can’t sleep”

“Idiot, you haven’t even tried.”

“I’m too scaredddd!! What if I never sleep again and I die! Kageyama come sleep up here so I don’t die!!”

“What?? I’m not doing that, you perv!!”

“Kageyamaaaaaaa” Hinata looked at him with his big brown eyes shining, and Kageyama knew he’d lost even before Hinata pouted his lower lip.

“Whatever. Just so you don’t die.” Kageyama stood up and shoved Hinata as far as he could away from him and against the wall, then he laid down on the very edge of the bed and pulled the sheets up to his chin.

His heart was hammering in his chest, so loud he was scared Hinata could hear it.

 _Why do I feel this way? Is it because this is my first time sharing a bed with someone?_ _But this is just Hinata.. he’s gonna get gross spit on me._

Hinata settled in next to him, their hands touched and Kageyama ignored the jolt that traveled down his spine.

 _It’s just dumb Hinata_.

“I’m glad you’re here right now, bakageyama” Hinata mumbled into his pillow. He yawned, and Kageyama couldn’t help but glance at him.

The moonlight made his freckles stand out against his pale skin, and his eyelashes were longer than Kageyama had noticed. He knew he should stop staring, that this wasn’t exactly normal, but he couldn’t stop.

_I wonder if his girlfriend will get to see him like this._

The thought entered Kageyama's head so abruptly he forgot how to breathe for a second. It hurt. If Hinata got serious with his girlfriend, would he have any time at all for Kageyama?

Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut, turned away from Hinata and opened them again, realizing that there were glow in the dark stars on Hinata's ceiling.

“You really are five”

“Mmm... maybe seven” Hinata sleepily mumbled back Kageyama smiled and looked back again at the smaller boy next to him. True to Hinata's no concept of personal space self.. he scooted closer to Kageyama and snuggled up against him. Kageyama's heart decided to use that moment to stop working. All of a sudden, his stomach also decided to betray him by feeling all fluttery as if there were butterflies trapped inside of it.

Hinata's eyelashes had fluttered closed, and his breathing began to slow. He looked so soft in the silver light, and his cheeks had a slight blush that even reached the tip of his nose, painting a backdrop for his freckles to be on display.

Had Hinata always looked like this? His lips were so pink and soft looking that Kageyama felt the strange urge to reach out and-

Oh no.

This couldn’t be happening. He needed to get away and stop feeling these stupid, overwhelming gross feelings. He’d never felt this way about anyone before, and he felt sick.

Was he allergic to the smaller boy? Was that possible?

Without disturbing Hinata, he slid out of the bed as carefully as he could and returned to his futon on the floor.

What was wrong with him?? Why was that stupid, short little dumbass making him feel so weird inside?

Kageyama knew his brain was working overtime to piece things together (What a champ).

He began to realize why he felt so angry when he thought about Hinata with his girlfriend. It wasn’t because she would keep him away from volleyball.. it was because she would keep him away from Kageyama.

No, Kageyama didn’t hate Hinata at all, in fact.... he maybe kind of liked him.

It turned out he was the one who didn’t get any sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gay Panic™
> 
> So I made an IG for this fic!! Yay!! It's @sundance10_art 
> 
> I'll be posting sketches/paintings of scenes from the chapters, keeping you updated, and hopefully interacting more with you all. I love talking with you guys!!
> 
> My other account on IG is @kcfanart
> 
> I'm just about out of pre-written chapters so it will be a few more days until the next chapter is out. (But I will be posting a little sneak peak on @sundance10_art hehehehe)


	4. Operation: Protect™

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Please.." Kageyama mumbled in his sleep. "Not again!"
> 
> 'Oh...' Hinata realized, 'he's having a nightmare...'
> 
> Then Kageyama made a sound that caused the breath to Hinata's throat: the sound of a small, broken sob.
> 
> 'Nope nope nope, not allowed!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this chapter at least partially as much as I enjoyed writing it ;)
> 
> It's been one week exactly since I posted chapter one, and ya'll are so amazing! Thank you for all the comments and kudos, they really make my day!!

Hinata and his girlfriend dated for a whole two weeks.

She was a really sweet girl from the class next to his, Ami, but things just didn’t feel right. They didn’t have much in common (she didn’t like steamed buns!) she didn’t know anything about volleyball, (“Are they called goals when they do that?”) and most importantly..... he would never admit it, but he missed spending time with a certain tall, cranky setter.

He had tried finding ways to spend time with the jerk outside of the team's official practice, so he had invited Kageyama over to spend the night.

Ever since that night, Kageyama had been acting weird, like he didn’t really want to be around Hinata.

Did he do something weird, like talk in his sleep and drool too much?

It hurt a lot, especially since he was going through his first breakup! He had just told Ami that morning after practice, and he felt really bad for hurting her.

He was sitting alone under the maple tree he and Kageyama normally ate at. He felt a warm tear slide down his cheek and drop onto his bento box that he hadn’t opened yet. 

Hinata couldn’t stand it anymore and pulled out his phone.

‘Kageyamaaaaa.°(ಗдಗ。)°.’

He didn’t have to wait too long before he got a reply:

 **Grumpy-yama** : ‘What’

Instead of typing out a response, Hinata sent a picture of the tree branches above him. He knew they’d spent enough time there for Kageyama to recognize where he was. His phone dinged and he opened his message and read:

 **Grumpy-yama** : ‘?’

“Idiot” Hinata whispered to himself. He quickly typed

‘Wanna practice a bit??(ToT)’

 **Grumpy-yama** : “k”

Kageyama was a really great texter.

~

He started feeling better once he got a volleyball in his hands, and even better when he and Kageyama started bumping it back and forth.

“What’s your problem right now?” Kageyama asked bluntly.

“Huh?”

Had it been that obvious that he was upset?? He wasn’t planning on talking about it just yet and was doing his best to act normal.

“You just seem.. different,” Kageyama mumbled.

“I broke up with Ami!!!” Hinata blurted out, tears filling his eyes.

“Huh” Kageyama hit the ball a little too hard and it went flying into a nearby bush.

“I told her this morning, she started crying, and I felt so bad!!” Hinata rubbed his eyes and crouched down on the ground.

He heard Kageyama's footsteps come over by his side and could tell he also crouched down next to him.

“Well, if it was going to end anyways, and you knew it.. it’s better that you told her sooner rather than later.”

“Whaaaaa Kageyama you do have a brain cell in there after-all!! I can’t believe it!!” Hinata started crying even harder.

“Dumbass” Kageyama put a light hand on his shoulder, and Hinata decided to take that as his cue to throw his arms around Kageyama's neck and cry more. He felt Kageyama stiffen up below him, but he didn’t pull away (or shove Hinata off). They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Hinata stopped crying. He was starting to feel better.

“I’m really hungry now!!” He said. “I didn’t eat my bento earlier.” (And he was pretty sure crying sucked the calories out of people anyways)

“I didn’t eat mine either.”

“Let’s eat together then!!”

“Yeah”

The warm spring breeze rustled the leaves of their tree, and quickly dried Hinata's tears. He knew what Kageyama had said was right.. but he also knew he needed some time to actually believe it.

“Come over tonight.” Kageyama said quietly.

“Huh?”

“Now who’s the idiot? It’s Saturday tomorrow.”

~

They walked back to Kageyama's house together, Hinata pushing his bike and making sure to tell Kageyama about every moment of his day!! (Besides the break up)

They stopped and bought steamed buns, which Hinata had to pay for since he lost their race to the gym that morning.

Once they got to Kageyama's, they realized they made a mistake..

Hinata didn’t have any overnight things packed.

“Whaaa Kageyama let me borrow some clothes later!!!”

“No, dumbass!!”

“Pleasseeeeee”

“..... fine”

Hinata called his mom and let her know where he was so she wouldn’t think he had died (She tends to worry about stuff like that sometimes).

They spent the evening playing volleyball and even did a little bit of homework! (Daichi and Suga would be so proud if they knew). Hinata had a big test coming up in his English class that he hadn’t studied for at all. No biggie.. (it was a biggie)

So here they were, doing their best.

The night dragged on, and eventually Hinata's eyes were closing on their own accord as he tried looking over his memorization words.

“Oi, runt, wake up”

Hinata's eyes snapped open. “Hey! You were the one snoring a few minutes ago”

“Was not.”

“Was too!!!”

Kageyama grabbed Hinata's hair in response.

Hinata kicked his shin.

~  
  


They both showered and got ready for the night, and Kageyama reluctantly gave Hinata a change of clothes.

As Hinata tried them on.. he realized the pajama pants wouldn’t stay up on his tiny waist.

_Curse you Kageyama, for being so big_

The boxers at least mostly stayed on, but Kageyama's shirt was so large on him that it ended up covering the boxers anyways. He left the bathroom, opened Kageyama's door, stuck his head in, and yelled at Kageyama to “not say anything!”

He walked in and instantly felt exposed as Kageyama took in the sight.

“Pfftt-“

“What did I say!!”

“You look like you’re wearing a dress!”

“It’s not my fault you’re a GIANT you big jerk!!”

Kageyama outright laughed at that and looked a little too smug. Hinata curled up into the futon on the floor and threw a pillow at his face to shut him up. 

.｡~☆~｡.

“No!” The word was mumbled into the darkness, and Hinata's eyes blinked open at the noise.

 _What was that.. I'm gonna die_.

He listened carefully and at first didn’t hear anything.. then he heard the soft rustling of Kageyama shifting around in his sleep.

From what he remembered from training camps.. he didn’t think Kageyama was someone who moved much when he slept.

Hinata's eyebrows furrowed together.

_Why-_

“Please..” Kageyama mumbled in his sleep. “Not again!”

_-Oh.. he’s having a nightmare._

Then Kageyama made a sound that caused the breath to stick in Hinatas throat; the sound of a small, broken sob.

_Nope nope nope not allowed!!!_

Hinata threw off his blankets and crawled up to Kageyama's side.

He was tossing side to side with his face all scrunched up, and there was a tear making its way down his face.

Gently, Hinata wiped it away.

“Hey, Kageyama-“

“No. Don’t leave”

“Kageyama!” Hinata was kneeling next to him, shaking his shoulders.

With a gasp, Kageyama jerked upright. His eyes were wide and scanned the room as he panted for air. They reached Hinata, and his breath hitched.

He looked so broken inside that Hinata couldn’t help but wrap his arms around him. Kageyama, as expected, stiffened up.... but then went limp and melted into Hinata's embrace.

Hinata's chest all of a sudden felt a little funny.

“It’s okay. You’re awake now” Hinata whispered, rubbing Kageyama back in the way his mom used to when he’d have bad dreams. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Kageyama shook his head and rested it on Hinata's shoulder.

He was shaking.

They stayed that way until Hinata felt Kageyama's eyelashes flutter closed against his collarbone.

He slowly pulled himself away from Kageyama but wasn’t prepared for how cold he felt without him.

“Do you feel ready to sleep again?” Hinata asked gently.

Kageyama nodded and so Hinata moved to go back to his futon- but Kageyama reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go.” He whispered.

Hinata swallowed and whispered back: “I won’t. I’m here.”

Kageyama's expression changed.

_Huh? Did I say something weird..?_

Kageyama leaned back to rest his head on his pillow, but was still holding onto Hinata's wrist. He looked up at him, and Hinatas breath caught in his throat once again (he hoped he wasn’t dying of some weird breathing condition).

Kageyama's eyes still had that same broken look to them before, only it seemed to be deeper below the surface.

  
Hinata had never seen him look so open and vulnerable before. His eyes still shone with unspilled tears, and his mouth was set into a hard line. That wasn’t allowed!! Angry Kageyama might be normal.. but sad Kageyama was illegal!

Hinata crawled under the covers next to him and wrapped his arms tightly around the taller boy. He was surprised when Kageyama didn’t kick him out of the bed, but he supposed there were times when everyone needed a hug. Even grumpy-yama.

They soon were both fast asleep, arms wrapped around each other.

.｡~☆~｡.

The next morning, they were woken up by a very rude crow outside Kageyama's window. 

The sun was just beginning to rise, and in the dim light they met eyes and quickly (awkwardly) detangled themselves and were careful not to meet the other boy’s eyes again.

 _Gah!! Why do I feel embarrassed!? I shared beds with my friends in middle school and it was fine! This is normal for friends_.

Hinata didn’t quite believe it, and quickly excused himself to the bathroom. He rushed out of the room and nearly ran over Kageyama's mom who had just walked around the corner.

“WAHH!! I’M SORRY!!”

This was the first time he’d ever even seen Kageyama's mom, and he could see the similarities. They both had straight black hair, and pretty faces.

“It’s okay.” She glanced down, and Hinata saw her eyebrows raise a little. He felt about 3 seconds away from dying on the spot as he knew how this must have looked. Even though he was a boy, he was still coming out of her sons bedroom, wearing nothing but Kageyama's shirt and a pair of boxers, hair messy and cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Um.. I uh...” He was saved from the trouble of trying to explain as the door was ripped open behind him, and a wide eyed Kageyama appeared. He must have heard their voices.

“Mom!” He also must have realized how this looked, because a deep flush appeared on his cheeks, moving its way to the tips of his ears. 

To make matters worse, he had to have been in the process of changing because he only had his pajama pants on.

Hinata quickly ripped his eyes away from Kageyama's chest and rubbed the back of his head nervously.

His mom's eyebrows rose even higher.

“Tobio..”

“-This is Hinata! He’s the annoying one on my volleyball team that talks a lot, I told you about him, remember??”

“Hey!!” Hinata yelled.

“Yes, I remember. Welcome to our house, it’s nice to finally meet you.” She nodded her head.

“Nice to meet you!!!” Hinata bowed.

“There’s breakfast downstairs for you two, I’m heading to work here pretty soon, I’ll see you later, Tobio.” She nodded again at Hinata and made her way down the hall.

“Kageyama your mom is nicer than you are”

“Shut up”

.｡~☆~｡.

They both worked hard at practice later that day, pushing each other as they always do and have always done.

The Miyagi Prefecture Interhigh qualifiers were approaching fast. There were many strong teams, and Hinata knew he needed to practice more in order to win so he could stay on the court as long as he could!!

“Hinata-senpai’s face is really scary right now” He heard one of the first years whisper to another.

“Hey! I heard that!” Hinata yelled. “My face isn’t scary, who do you think I am?? Bakageyama??”

“I don’t know that his face is _THAT_ scary” said the one first year who asks Kageyama to toss to him like.. all the time...

“Yes it is” said the other first year.

“Yes it is” agreed everyone.

Hinata, however, remembered how open and soft Kageyama had looked the night before, with his silky hair framing his face as he looked up at him from his pillow, and decided silently that maybe..

Just maybe..

his face wasn’t that scary all the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I woke up from a nightmare and wrote part of this to fight off the loneliness *sob*
> 
> Also.. Kageyamas mom for sure thinks they’re doing the fuk 
> 
> If you saw the sneak peak for this chapter on my IG: @ sundance10_art I'm really curious about what you were expecting :p
> 
> Thanks for being great!!


	5. Operation: Don't Be Too Obvious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kags caught *whispers* the gay.

Kageyama woke up to the annoying sound of his phone buzzing on the nightstand. He groggily blinked his eyes open and glanced at the clock. 

_Who the fuck is texting me at midnight?_

He knew very few people texted him and even fewer would be texting this late.

 _I should just ignore it_..

His curiosity won over, and he picked up the phone, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. 

_Of course it’s that runt._

**Dumbass:** ' _Yamaaa(^○^)-'_ he read, already annoyed. _'I cant sleep I’m too excitd about th prelims ヽ(￣д￣;)ノ=3=3=3'_

The Miyagi Prefecture Interhigh Prelims were starting in just a few days, and Kageyama had to admit.. he was excited too. 

' _Dumbass_.' He typed back. ' _Just close ur eyes n sleep.'_

Right away his phone dinged. 

**Dumbass:** _'Are u even a human being?? It doesn’t work tht way, stupid!\٩(๑`^´๑)۶//'_

The longer Kageyama was awake, the more restless he started to feel as well. He wasn’t nervous about the upcoming games, he was just excited and needed to be playing volleyball. He needed to feel its smooth surface in his hand and the solid weight against his palm..

_'Want t practise?'_

He waited a few seconds for the response this time. 

**Dumbass** : _'Whaaat right now?!_ '

No emojis this time.. he must have surprised Hinata. 

_'Yes'_ he sent it and held his breath. 

**Dumbass:** _'Okay!!!!(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))♡'_

_'Let’s meet at tht park inbetwen. Be there in 20.'_

**Dumbass:** _'(*^▽^*)ゞ yes sir!!'_

~

Kageyama quickly jogged to the park that they agreed to meet at. It was part way between their homes and out of the way of the main road (Perfect for a little midnight volleyball). 

They practiced under the light of the nearby street lamp until late into the night. By the time they finally stopped, they were both breathing hard. 

“Whaaaa that felt great!!!” Hinata exclaimed as he fell back onto the soft grass. 

Kageyama moved to sit by him and started to realize just how tired he was. 

Hinata pointed up at the stars, and for a second he looked like he was about to actually say something profound, or at least thoughtful. 

“Did you know that star is named Bob?”

Of course.. 

he was Hinata after all. 

“What?” Kageyama asked. Not because he really cared about the star, he just wanted to hear Hinata talk more. He rested his head on his arms and glanced over at the smaller boy who was staring up towards the sky. The cool night air rustled his hair. 

Moonlight really suited him. 

“Yeah! Some star dude named it that in like... ancient times.. 1960 or so.” 

“Oh” Kageyama found himself studying the freckles on Hinata's face which seemed to mirror the constellations sparkling above them. 

Hinata looked up at him, and he quickly looked away, his stomach jumping inside of him. 

“My house is closer to this park.” Hinata said, still looking at him. 

“Huh?”

_What is he talking about?_

“It’s not half way. We’re closer to my house so you can spend the night if you want, tired-yama. We can just stop by your house quick in the morning to get your stuff for class” 

Kageyama was feeling pretty tired (and who’s fault was that?) so he wasn’t going to argue. 

“Sure, whatever."

  
~

They had to sneak quietly back into Hinata’s house and navigate their way in the dark up to his room. Kageyama only stubbed his toe twice, bumped into Hinata once, and only cursed a little. 

Hinata's pajamas didn’t fit Kageyama, so he ended up just wearing his boxers. He knew he’d have to work extra hard staying away from Hinata's grabby little hands as they both climbed into Hinata's small bed. 

After all, It was too late to set up the guest futon. 

As they settled in, Hinata's arm brushed against Kageyama's bare waist and instantly, he couldn’t breathe. He was thankful for the dark to hide his burning cheeks. He squished himself up against the wall as far as he could and tried his best to slow his heart rate down. 

_This is so stupid. I should be able to control this._

“I sleep way better when you’re here!” Hinata said way too cheerfully for this time of night.

Kageyama's heart betrayed him once again by squeezing tightly in his chest at the words. He was still all too aware of the smaller boy’s body way too close to his own. 

“Sh-shut up, dumbass. I’m trying to sleep.” He hoped Hinata couldn’t hear his heart beating. 

“Goodnight grumpy-yama!” 

Kageyama could hear the smile in his voice, and it pissed him off even more. He was so oblivious. He had no idea what kind of thoughts were currently coursing through Kageyama's brain. 

_Of course he’s oblivious_. 

Kageyama came to the (painful?) realization that Hinata would probably never realize he liked him. How would he? Hinata was straight, and the thought of a boy liking him probably wouldn’t even occur to him. 

Kageyama turned towards the wall so Hinata wouldn’t tell him his eyebrows were going to stick together, and soon fell into an exhausted sleep. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata’s mom didn’t seem too shocked to discover Kageyama in her son's bed the next morning, and he was glad she was so chill about it. 

Coach Ukai on the other hand..

He was staring at them with his arms crossed. 

“Okay you two..” 

Kageyama saw Hinata flinch at coach’s tone. They had been stretching before practice started, but quickly jumped to their feet as coach addressed them. 

“Tell me why you’re both so tired this morning.”

Neither of them spoke at first.. and then immediately started speaking at once-

“Hinata couldn’t sleep because he was too excited about the Prelims.” 

“Kageyama asked me if I wanted to practice!”

Coach pressed the tips of his fingers to the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply. 

“You guys need to remember the importance of proper rest!!” He yelled. “You aren’t to do that again, understood? Your muscles won’t grow without rest. Go easy today.”

“Yes sir” they mumbled in unison.

Coach walked away, still shaking his head. 

“Bwaahhh that was scary!!” Hinata whispered loudly to Kageyama after coach had left. 

They went back to stretching and Kageyama ignored how easily Hinata could reach his toes. Nope, didn’t notice. And he definitely didn’t stare as Hinata crouched down into a few warm up squats. Not at all. 

“Gay” Tsukki mumbled as he walked past. 

“Sh-shut up!! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mhhmmm” 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


While there weren’t any more midnight practice sessions, the team worked hard in practice each day up until the Spring Interhigh Prelims. During the bus ride to Sendai city’s gymnasium, Hinata vibrated with excitement where he was pressed up against Kageyama's side. 

-

They played their hardest throughout all the matches, and the sight of Hinata being so focused as he flew to spike Kageyama's sets never failed to make him breathless. 

In the final round however, they couldn’t make it past Date Techs iron wall. 

-

  
  


Hinata stayed pressed to his side on the ride home as well. Kageyama could feel the silent sobs coursing through his small frame and understood the frustration he was feeling. 

“I need to be better at everything” Hinata whispered 

“Yeah” Kageyama agreed.

Sure, Hinata had improved an insane amount since they first met. Their first year, he was just a runt who could jump okay and was damn fast. Now... he was still just a fast little runt, but was actually thinking about what he was doing. He had a hunger for growth that matched the intense need Kageyama also felt in himself. No one had ever been as passionate as volleyball as he was. 

He’d never forget the view of Hinata soaring above him with the lights behind his small, powerful body. They were so bright they burned Kageyama's eyes, making him want to look away. But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t look away from the tiny giant flying just outside of his reach. 

He glanced down at that same tiny giant, and saw tears streaming down his freckled cheeks. 

He wanted to tell him how incredible he had played during their game against Date Tech, but Kageyama had never been good with words. 

Instead, he took Hinata's small hand into his much larger one and intertwined their figures together. 

Hinata looked up quickly in surprise, and Kageyama gave his hand a small squeeze. 

He should try saying something.. 

“You did okay, you idiot” 

_Nice. Real smooth._

Hinata's eyes widened, and Kageyama was relieved to see a glimpse of the familiar sparkle in the corner of them. 

Kageyama quickly looked out the window, the tips of his ears burning. 

“Your face will stick-“

“- I know, dumbass!!! Just.. shut up” 

Hinata laughed a little bit and Kageyama pretended the sound didn’t make his chest flutter as if there were butterflies stuck inside. 

He was so fucked. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There really is a star named Bob 
> 
> Sorry this chapter wasn't as long as the other ones! Tbh this chapter was the hardest one to write because I didn't know how much of the prelims I should include. I ultimately decided though that y'all are here for kagehina. If you want full volleyball games... read the manga 
> 
> As always: the IG for this fic is @ sundance10_art and I'd love to chat with you there! You guys are the best


	6. Operation: Give it Time ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo hoo! This chapter is like twice the length of the last one and I hope you like it!! 
> 
> Please don’t be too mad at me for certain events, THEY NEED TO HAPPEN OKAY

The month of June dragged along slowly, getting hotter and more humid with each day that passed. 

Hinata was still extremely disappointed about being beaten by Date Tech and was practicing any chance he got, whether that was during official team practices or just with Kageyama. 

Their morning practice had finished, and the team was in the club room getting ready for school. 

“Oi- dumbass” 

Hinata jumped, he had been busy deep in thought about-

“Pfft. I bet you were just thinking about how much you’re gonna suck at your test later today.” Kageyama had on his evil grin while he finished buttoning up his shirt. 

“I was not, you jerk!!!!”

He was. 

Kageyama looked at him, “Well.. if you don’t strain your brain so much that you die, want to hang out tonight?” 

“I won’t need to strain my brain at all!! It'll be a piece of cake” 

He would definitely need to try. 

Kageyama's eyebrows rose in disbelief. “Then I guess we’ll just have to hang out.” 

“Hhmph.. fine jerky-yama. But only because I already wanted to!!! Hah!!” 

At this point they were the last ones out of the gym, eyes still locked in challenge, and Hinata knew that if he looked away, he’d lose. 

“Ah! Hinata-kun.” A feminine voice called. 

_Huh??_

Hinata couldn’t help but break the mini-battle he and Kageyama had and knew he’d be buying the meat buns for them tonight. 

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Maybe Kageyama poisoned him at lunch yesterday and he was hallucinating. A girl from the class down the hall from his, Michi, was running towards him.

He knew her name because boys in his class talked about her. Well... parts of her.. he forced his eyes to stay focused on hers, rather than drifting lower. His face was burning and his palms turned sweaty. He felt Kageyama stiffen beside him. 

“Hinata-kun!” She said sweetly as she caught up to him. “Hello, I’m Michi! I was wanting to talk to you before you started practice, but you and this guy were running so fast!” She glanced at Kageyama. 

“Oh- uh- heh” Why wasn’t his brain working? He needed it for his test later. 

“I guess what I’m trying to say is would you like to go get ice cream after class?”

Huh.... his brain might not be at its best... but he thought.. she might be.... 

_She’s asking me out???_

“Oh! I- well-“

 _Wait …Kageyama already asked._. 

Hinata looked up at the boy who had been standing by his side surprisingly quiet. He had a frown that definitely was bordering on the ‘you better run’ side, and there was a shadow in his eyes that Hinata couldn’t read. Kageyama opened his mouth to spit out a brisk “go ahead” before turning on his heel and stalking off with his hands in his pockets. 

_What’s his problem-_

“Okay, then it’s settled! I’ll meet you by the bikes after class!” She flashed him a dazzling grin before running to catch up with her friends 

_HUH- I didn’t even say yes!!!_

Hinata felt like he had just been hit by a truck. 

He ended up failing his test.

.｡~☆~｡.

After school was dismissed, Hinata waited by his bike. For either Kageyama or that girl, he wasn’t sure. 

Kageyama was the first to get there and didn’t even look at him as he kept walking by with that infamous scowl on his face. 

“Whaaa you jerk, don’t ignore me!! What’s your problem??” Hinata ran to catch up with his longer strides. 

“You’re my problem!! Why are you so loud!!” Kageyama didn’t slow down.

“I thought we were hanging out tonight!” Hinata was trying to read that look in his eyes that he noticed earlier.

“No, dumbass I have stuff to do.”

“What??? What ‘stuff??” 

“Just..LEAVE ME ALONE!” Kageyama walked faster and Hinata stopped, stunned and quite honestly a little hurt. 

During their first year, Kageyama would definitely not have hesitated to talk to him like that. Even now, they’d tease each other mercilessly, but there was never any real bite to their words. Kageyama was his best friend, he didn’t understand why he was being such an ass. 

“Fine!!!” Hinata yelled at him, wiping his eyes, and watching Kageyama's slowly retreating form. 

_Whatever is bothering him I’ll just have to pull it out of him tomorrow._

He walked back to his bike, dragging his feet. 

“There you are, Hinata-kun! You know it isn’t polite to keep a girl waiting.”

He had forgotten about her..

“You ready for ice cream??” She asked while bouncing on the balls of her feet, making her chest- 

_nope nope nope not looking!!!_

“Oh, uh, yeah I guess!” 

  
~

  
After walking her home that evening, Hinata began his long bike ride over the mountain. The sun was setting and painted the sky beautiful shades of orange and red, but Hinata hardly saw it. He was too busy ‘straining his little pea brain’ as Kageyama would have said it.

_Why was that big jerk like that today?.._

Hinata had come to the conclusion a while ago that love stuff grossed Kageyama out. Whenever Hinata mentioned a girl was cute, he’d scowl and change the subject. Whenever he’d see couples holding hands, he’d quickly look away with a frown. Whenever couples kissed in the movies they’d watch, Kageyama would look extra constipated (not that Hinata was watching him or anything). 

_Maybe date stuff really disgusts him! He probably only cares about volleyball. Whaaaaa I feel so bad that I kissed him!! I bet that was like.. the grossest thing ever for him!! Poor yamayama-kun._

It made sense, Kageyama had never seemed interested in things besides food and volleyball, people included. Had never once said a girl was cute. 

Hinata peddled faster with new energy, determined not to bring up dating or girl stuff with Kageyama ever again! He didn’t want to see that look in Kageyama's eyes. 

  
  
.｡~☆~｡.

The look didn’t go away. 

Apparently Michi had spread the news to everyone that the two of them were dating.

“Shouyou!!!” Noya yelled as soon as he walked into the club room. Kageyama wasn’t there by the school gate for him to race, but as he scanned the room, he realized he was already in the gym and had started warming up. Noya ran up to him and continued shouting “I heard you’re dating that one girl!!”

“Yeah!!” Tanaka joined in “that girl with the big-“

“WHAAA I don’t know what you’re talking about!!! We just got ice cream!”

“Well, she’s telling everyone she’s your girlfriend now” Yachi informed him. 

_she’s .... what......_

“WOOOO SHOUYOU!!!!!” Noya jumped on his shoulders.

His brain officially was done working, but he still had a single brain cell in there that made him look at Kageyama. 

He wouldn’t meet his eyes. 

.｡~☆~｡.

Michi was waiting for him by his bike after school. 

Kageyama didn’t even look back as he started walking home without Hinata. He was about to chase him down and do the interrogating that he hadn’t had the chance for yet, but Michi stepped in front of him. 

“Hello, Hinata!!” 

“Um, hi! uh about this whole dating thing..” he scratched the back of his head nervously. 

“Yeah! I was thinking we could go see a movie tonight!” Michi looked so happy that Hinata agreed. He didn’t want to hurt her. 

“Okay.. meet you at the theater in an hour.”

“Wait-I thought we could go over-“ 

“Sorry! I’m gonna go walk that cranky guy home!!” Hinata jumped on his bike and peddled as fast as his little legs could go to catch up with Kageyama. 

“YAMAAA!!” he yelled once he saw him. 

Kageyama whirled around in surprise. 

“Shut up!! People are going to think you’re being murdered!!”

Hinata was panting hard by the time he caught up to Kageyama and wiped his forehead as he beamed up at the taller boy. 

Said boy looked away quickly with his eyebrows furrowed together. 

“I want..” he panted for breath “to walk.. you home… wheewww you sure are fast with those giant bean legs of yours.”

Kageyama slowed his stride, and watched as Hinata jumped off his bike to walk beside him. 

Hinata desperately wanted to ask him why he’d been such an asshole all day, but he figured it had to do with Michi, and anything romance related was off limits. 

“Want to sleepover this weekend?” Hinata asked instead.

He saw Kageyama hesitate, that dark shadow in his eyes holding him back from agreeing right away. “I guess, idiot” 

They reached Kageyama's house as a gentle breeze blew the taller boy's dark hair to the side. Hinata couldn’t help but stare at the exposed skin of his forehead that he rarely got to see. He had to fight the urge to reach up and push the hair back that had already fallen into place, to see it again. 

Hinata all of a sudden didn’t know what to do. 

“Okay!! See you at practice tomorrow!” Hinata wrapped his arms around Kageyama in a quick hug then ran back to his bike. 

He tried his best to ignore the fact that the quick hug made him want to not let go. Kageyama was tall and warm and smelled good and- okay this really needs to stop. He needed to talk to someone about all the weird feelings bouncing around in his head. He may have had a lot of extra space up there, but he didn’t want these thoughts taking up residence like they owned the place!

~

Yachi’s house was near the theater so he found himself out front, texting her to come down. 

“Hey, Hinata!! What’s up?”

“Bwahhhhhh I need to talk!!!!”

Hinata spilled it all, how he had started to date Michi, how Kageyama was being such a jerk, and yet how he wanted to be by Kageyama, like, ALL THE TIME, and how much he both wanted to and yet didn’t want to date Michi. All of it. 

She sat for a second thinking, before replying “well.. if you want to and yet also don’t want to date her, I guess just try it for a bit and if you still feel the same, let her know. And you don’t have to spend allll your time with her or anything, you’ll have time for Kageyama too!!”

“You think so?!”

“Yeah! Just try it out a bit. Let me know how it goes!” Yachi looked like she had more to say.. why wouldn’t people just tell him what they’re thinking?!!

“What else do you have to say?”

“Huh?? Oh- uhhh nothing!” Yachi rubbed the back of her head like he did when he was nervous. 

It also made him realize the watch on her wrist and saw that he had a total 5 minutes to get to the movie theater.

“WHAA I’m sorry! I have to go! See you tomorrow!!”

~  
  


The movie was okay, but not nearly enough action for Hinata. 

He walked Michi home again as the sun was setting, enjoying the cool breeze on his face that evening brought. 

Hinata watched a flock of birds in the distance as Michi talked about how much she enjoyed the movie. They reached the front door, and she pulled him down for a kiss before going inside.

He waited for the GWAHH feeling to happen. That was his first kiss with someone who wasn’t Kageyama after all. But he didn’t feel it. 

_I really should’ve felt something from that... a spark or a gwaaaahhh right?? Gahh what’s wrong with me!!_

Hinata peddled home as the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, the sky was a deep shade of purple, but he didn’t notice.

.｡~☆~｡.

Kageyama always looked a little bit out of place at Hinata's house. Like there was too much happening that he wasn’t used to, and he didn’t know what to do with it all. When Hinata's mom hugged him, he stiffened up. When Hinata's sister grabbed his hand to drag him somewhere he looked uncomfortable but always followed. 

Come to think of it, he’d stopped looking that way when Hinata himself did something like that awhile ago. 

Hinata couldn’t help the smug smile from creeping up in his face as he thought about it.

“You look like you’re contemplating homicide, dumbass”

“Whoa I didn’t know you knew big words like that!”

Kageyama gripped his hair tightly and Hinata jabbed him in the side. Pretty soon they were wrestling and yelling on Hinata's floor until Kageyama pinned his arms above his head. 

Hinata’s laughter died in his throat as he caught Kageyama's eyes. They were burning into his, such a deep blue color that was almost black. Kageyama's cheeks were flushed, probably from the exertion of wrestling, and his hand tightened on Hinata's wrists. Hinata felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine and he felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. 

He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.

His mouth parted and his body betrayed him by causing him to arch his back slightly, chasing the heat above him. 

Before he could even register what was happening, Kageyama jumped off of him and returned to glaring at the school book he was pretending to study. 

“Kageyama-“

“Dinners ready!!” His mom peeked her head in the room and smiled at the two boys. 

The rest of the night passed like normal, the weird tension between them that Hinata couldn’t figure out, slowly fading into the background.   
  


.｡~☆~｡.

The next few days went by quickly. Despite Michi’s best attempts at convincing him otherwise, Hinata still ate lunch with Kageyama and walked home with him. He was determined to not let things happen like the did with Ami, where they hardly hung out. 

He could have a girlfriend _and_ a best friend. 

The two boys were eating lunch together one warm afternoon, and Kageyama was explaining to Hinata how he fell asleep in class that day and how embarrassing it was when his teacher asked him to answer the question, only he didn’t know the answer, and Hinata couldn’t stop laughing. 

He made sure to call him stupid (even though he’d also definitely done that before) Hinata laughed even more when Kageyama pointed that out and rested his head on Kageyama's shoulder. 

His chest felt warm with happiness. 

“Hinata-kun!” Michis voice cut in. 

_BWAHH_

“Yes?” Hinata quickly pulled his head away from Kageyama's shoulder. 

“Let’s hang out tonight!” 

Hinata glanced at Kageyama out of the corner of his eye and found him staring intently at his bento, as if it was really interesting. 

“Um.. Okay, sure!” They hadn’t been spending much time together anyways, and he felt a little bad. 

Kageyama was quiet for the rest of their lunch break, and Hinata had to admit he wasn’t quite as loud as he normally was, either. 

Was this okay? Hinata wanted a girlfriend, didn’t he? He’d always wanted one.. is this just what it was like to date someone? It had felt the same with Ami, too. 

_Maybe it just takes time_ he told himself. 

“Like cheese” he decided 

“What??” Kageyama was staring at him. 

“Nothing..”

Yeah.. that must be it. It just takes time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think?? Poor Kags, huh?
> 
> Comment and kudos pls i beg(＞人＜;)
> 
> If you want to chat and see artwork from the chapters the fics IG is @sundance10_art and my general fandom account is @kcfanart
> 
> You guys are awesome and I love you all!!


	7. Operation: PANIC! *in gay*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He did his best not to imagine that flushed, freckled skin, to not remember how Hinata had looked below him, mouth open and back arching into his touch.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn’t notice, the rating moved up to “M” ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

“Mmmmm.. Kageyama....” Hinata's cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were scrunched closed in pleasure. Kageyama looked down at him and admired how his soft lips parted in a small “o” shape as he gasped and arched his back in pleasure. There was so much soft, freckled skin on display, and Kageyama could reach out and run his hands all over- 

His eyes shot open and he sat up quickly in bed.   
  


_Shit..._

Kageyama's heart was hammering wildly inside his chest, and he could feel the embarrassing tightness inside his boxers. He groaned and fell back onto his pillow, pressing his palms into his eyes trying to get the image of Hinata, so pliable and wanting, out of his mind. 

He could still hear Hinata's voice moaning into his ear, and his pants felt even tighter than before. Kageyama groaned in frustration.

_This can’t be happening. He’s my friend, and he has a girlfriend. He’d be so grossed out if he ever found out what was going on in my mind._

Kageyama would be lying though if he said this wasn’t the first time he’s thought about it. 

When he had spent the night at Hinata’s house a few days ago, he had pinned Hinata below him and marveled at how his one hand could wrap around both of Hinata's small wrists-

Let’s just say that particular memory tended to make things very hard for him. 

Literally

He did his best not to imagine that flushed, freckled skin, to not remember how Hinata had looked below him, mouth open and back arching into his touch. 

He quickly jumped out of bed and was in his jogging gear in an instant. 

This was the only thing he found helped clear his mind, besides giving into his thoughts entirely and finding release. He knew he couldn’t do that, though. It may feel great in the moment, but it always left him feeling hollow and guilty. 

The past week had been one of the worst he’d had in awhile. Hinata was slowly spending less and less time with him, and he wondered how long it would take before he stopped seeing him all together. 

He picked up the pace and pretended the stinging in his eyes was from the cool night air. 

.｡~☆~｡.

Kageyama was walking to the gym early the next morning, still only half awake. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and realized Hinata had just finished putting his bike away. 

They locked eyes and in that moment, nothing else mattered 

He had to win. 

They both took off, screaming, towards the club room, and Kageyama managed to beat him by just a few inches (Must be all the late night training he’s been getting in).

“Waaa you cheater!!” Hinata lay panting on the floor 

“How did I cheat??” Kageyama gasped with his hands on his knees.

“I don’t know, but you did!”

Kageyama felt the corners of his mouth slowly curl upwards. It felt good seeing Hinata. He might have seen him at practice yesterday, but he missed him in between then and now. Life was so quiet without him.

Hinata was still trying to look grumpy about Kageyama winning, but there was a happy sparkle in his eyes that Kageyama had noticed was in and out the past few days. 

The sparkle remained throughout practice that morning, even when Kageyama accidentally sent a serve into the back of his head after the smaller boy decided to stretch his arms above his head, showing a sliver of skin above the waistband of his shorts. 

He didn’t need Tsukki mumbling “gay” this time to realize that he really needed to get a grip. 

~

Hinata spent the evening with his girlfriend, and Kageyama ended up going for another run. 

This time, however, it wasn’t because of the dirty thoughts he was recently having, it was because he couldn’t stop thinking about how Hinata would probably end up doing those type of things with his girlfriend instead. 

It wasn’t just about the sexual things either, he was so frustrated that Hinata would be pulled away from him. A little bit by little bit. 

Everything in his life had left him eventually though, why is he surprised that this wouldn’t be any different? It was only a matter of time, after all. 

Kageyama ran harder, trying to drown out the noise of his thoughts with the sound of his feet hitting the asphalt and blood pumping in his ears. 

It would be okay. He still had volleyball after all. 

  
It would be okay. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Every so often, the Karasuno second years would hang out together. Tonight was movie night at Yamaguchi’s. 

“MOVIE NIGHTT!” Hinata screamed like an absolute crackhead as he ran into the room carrying a blanket way too big for his body. 

The small boy surveyed the room, his eyes darting around looking for a place to sit. Kageyama was in the reclining chair, Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, and Yachi were all sharing the couch, and Yamaguchi’s dog had claimed the other chair. 

_He better fucking not_

Kageyama's mind had just enough time for that thought before Hinata leapt on top of him, yelling even more.

“Dumbass!! Get off of me!!” Kageyama tried shoving him off but he just wrapped his little arms around Kageyama and held on tight. 

“Whaaaaaaa comfy!!!!” 

The rest of the team just laughed. A big help they were. 

“Now Hinata,” Tsukki said, locking eyes with Kageyama. “Remember you have a girlfriend so no groping the king during the movie.”

_He did not just say that.._

“HAAHHH??? WH-WHAA I would never do that!!!” 

Kageyama fought down a pang of disappointment. 

Yamaguchi slapped Tsukkis arm and mumbled something into his ear about Hinata’s poor innocence. 

They were sitting really close, Kageyama noticed. 

Despite Tsukishima’s warning glare, he opened his mouth to point it out and tell Tsukki not to be the one groping during the movie when all of a sudden- Hinata shifted on top of him and his whole world narrowed down to that touch.. that agonizing (wonderful) pressure on his dick.

_I’m in deep fucking trouble_

Tsukki gave him a knowing smirk. 

Kageyama wasn’t able to focus on the movie. He couldn’t tell you what it was about, but he knew it must have been an action one judging by how much Hinata moved during it.

_Can this runt just not sit still??_

“Oi- runt, can you not sit still?”

He whispered it roughly into his ear, because he didn’t want Tsukishima to hear and make fun of him again. The blonde haired boy seemed to know all too well the little predicament Kageyama was in. 

At Kageyama's words, Hinata stiffened up. Wow, a miracle! he wasn’t moving for once in his life. 

Hinata turned his head until he was looking up at Kageyama and oh no- this was worse. 

They were so close. 

Kageyama quickly jerked his eyes back to the tv screen but wasn’t watching whatever was on it. He could still feel Hinata's eyes on him for a beat longer until he too turned his gaze to the tv. 

Kageyama's heart felt like it was trying to escape his chest. He hoped Hinata couldn’t feel it. 

Hinata jumped and squirmed as there was a huge explosion on screen.

Kageyama didn’t say anything this time.

  
  


~

It was dark by the time they began heading home. 

“Thanks for having us over, Yamaguchi!!” Hinata beamed at him. 

“Yes, thank you!” Yachi echoed.

They all lived relatively close to his house so it wouldn’t be a long walk back. 

All of them except- 

“Oi, dumbass. It’s dark so why don’t you just stay at my place tonight. It’s not a school night.”

“WOOO sleepover!!” Hinata jumped up and down as if this wasn’t something they did nearly every week anyways. There was a relieved look in Hinata's eyes, and Kageyama guessed he must not have wanted to bike over the mountain this late. 

They walked home as Hinata recounted all his favorite parts of the movie with his obnoxious sound effects that had to have had the neighbors frowning. 

They went through their regular routine, Hinata had a toothbrush at Kageyama's house now, but still somehow didn’t have a pair of pajamas. (“Your shirts are so comfy anyways, yamayama-kun!”) Kageyama was careful not to look at Hinata's powerful thighs as they got under the blankets of his bed. 

“Hey Kageyama, I know you don’t like talking about this stuff... but I gotta talk about it!!!”

“Huh?”

“This morning my mom said that since I had a girlfriend and all, I needed to have.. ” Hinata's voice dropped to a loud whisper “..‘the talk’” 

_Oh.._

“IT WAS THE MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT OF MY LIFE!”

Kageyama didn’t know what to say so he stayed silent. 

“Have you gotten that talk yet?? It was disgusting!!” 

“I have”

He hadn’t.. but the magazines Oikawa left in the club room during junior high counted, right? 

“Isn’t it embarrassing hearing your own mom say stuff like that??”

“Oh.. uh. Yeah. Let’s go to sleep now, dumbass. If you use your brain too much you won’t have any left for volleyball. 

Hinata was quiet for a second 

“Hey .. Kageyama.. how do boys do it?”

  
 _Huh_

  
  


_HUUHHHH???_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kags internally: “want me to show you? ;) :p)
> 
> Kags externally: “BoKE!!”
> 
> Kudos/comments give me the serotonin(°▽°)
> 
> The next chapter is coming in just a couple days! While you wait, check out my IG @sundance10_art for art from the fic!


	8. Operation: Die of Embarrassment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama suffers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t wait any longer to post this chapter, so here it is!

“Huh?” 

Kageyama's brain completely shut down. Of all the people to ask him that question.. 

_‘.. how do boys do it?...’_

He decided to do what he was good at: play dumb. “do what, stupid?” 

“You know.. _it_.” Hinata's voice was barely a whisper at this point.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” 

he knew exactly what he was talking about. 

Being honest, he was curious to see if Hinata would be able to say it out loud or if he’d just drop the subject.

“Sex” Hinata mumbled quickly.

He said it!

“Hah?”

“My mom only talked about a boy and girl! Do you not know too?” Hinata looked up at him with his big brown eyes and Kageyama knew he wouldn’t be able to lie.

“I do..” he mumbled almost as quickly as Hinata had. Those damn magazines. 

Hinata looked up at him again, waiting for him to answer. 

“Dumbass.. I don’t know why you’re even asking me this.”

“I’m just curious!! Pleaseeee'' Hinata once again shone his golden eyes Kageyama's way and even pouted out his lower lip.

_I’m so fucked._

“It goes in the ass, you idiot.”

“WHAa! Vulgar, Kageyama! There’s no way that’s true!” 

“How else do you want me to say it?? And it is true!” 

“How could it even fit?? You’re teasing me aren’t you?” Hinata's cheeks were bright red. 

Kageyama could feel his cheeks burning as well and knew they must match Hinata’s. Hinata was laying way too close to him to be talking about things like this. 

His heart rate picked up as he said, “You don’t just shove it in without getting it all ready in there first you absolute fucking-“

“Meanie!! Forget I even asked!”

“Why did you even ask me anyways??” Kageyama yelled in an attempt to distract his heart from racing, and blood from flowing to a place that definitely wasn’t his heart. 

“Who else am I supposed to ask??” 

“Oh I don’t know.. _google_??”

“I-“ Hinata's brows furrowed as he opened his mouth and quickly closed it. “I didn’t think of that.”

“Dumbass”

“Okay maybe this one time. But most of the time I’m way smarter than you!!” 

Kageyama shoved him out of his bed and smirked as Hinata yelled at him even louder from the floor. 

BANG BANG BANG “You boys need to quiet down!” 

They both froze. 

“Sorry!!” They said in unison.

As Kageyama’s mom’s footsteps faded down the hall, Hinata scurried back onto the bed and dove under the covers. 

“You idiot got us in trouble” Kageyama said quietly. He wasn’t angry, he just needed something to say to distract himself from the feeling of Hinata squirming around next to him. He was still too keyed up from their conversation. 

Every brush of Hinata's arm against his, or bump of his knee against his leg caused his heart to jump and stomach flip upside down. A jolt of electricity shot down his spine as Hinata elbowed him in the side. 

“Meanie-yammaa” Hinata whispered loudly. 

_How is he even loud when he’s whispering?.._

“I’ll be even meaner if you don’t let me go to sleep.”

“Hhmph. Lame”

“You sound like Tsukki” 

“Do not” Hinata yawned and snuggled closer to Kageyama. 

Kageyama had a question that was burning in his mind, but he didn’t know if it was too risky to ask. 

“What is it?” Hinata asked, reading him in that annoying way no one ever had before. 

_Fuck it_

“How did you know that boys even would do something like that?”

“Well…. I didn’t know until recently” Hinata looked nervous.

“What changed?” Kageyama was so nervous he felt like his heart was going to explode. He hadn’t been too obvious, right? 

“IsawCoachandTakedasankiss.” Hinata mumbled quietly.

“Hah? Speak up, idiot.”

“I saw Coach and Takeda-San kiss! I think they’re dating!” Hinata whispered loudly

Kageyama let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. His secret was still safe. 

“Oh.. good for them I guess”

“Yeah! They both seem really happy, don’t they?”

“Mmm. Now go to sleep, dumbass” 

“Goodnight, Kageyama. Sorry for talking about this with you.”

_Why would he say that?_

It wasn’t long before he knew the smaller boy had fallen asleep. He felt so warm beside him, and his breathing was so comforting that Kageyama soon felt his eyelids grow heavy. 

In a moment of weakness, he put an arm around Hinata's tiny waist, pulling him even closer to himself.

 _This isn’t right_ . Kageyama thought to himself. _He has a girlfriend, and there’s no way he’d ever like you, you fucking idiot_

Kageyama knew that it wasn’t right to even imagine things being different between them. 

But why did it feel so right?

Hinata felt like he was made to fit against Kageyama, like he was meant to be there. 

Kageyama didn’t have an answer for himself and was soon asleep, breathing in Hinata's citrus scent and feeling the steady rise and fall of the smaller boy's chest against his own. 

~

The next morning, Kageyama woke surrounded in warmth. He cracked open his eyes and all he saw was… 

_Orange?_

He pulled back, and his heart leapt in his chest when he saw the small boy still asleep in his arms. 

Kageyama gently pulled himself away, ignoring Hinata's upset muttering and little grabby hands, and quickly made his way to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. 

By the time he got back to his room, Hinata was sitting up, rubbing his eyes and looking half asleep. 

“You look like someone ran over you with a trash truck.” Kageyama muttered

“GAH! Well you always look like that!!!”

“Shut up, tangerine.” 

They made their way to the kitchen for breakfast and were surprised to see Kageyama's mom sitting at the table, drinking her coffee. 

“Hello again, Kageyama-san!!” Hinata called, way too cheerfully for this early in the morning. 

“Ah hello again, Hinata!” Her face softened as she caught a view of Hinata's full sunshine smile. Again.. way too early for him to be like this. 

The two boys slowly worked on getting breakfast for themselves, Hinata had spent enough mornings at his house to know his way around. 

He was still wearing Kageyama's damn shirt. 

Kageyama sipped his milk and tried his best not to stare as Hinata reached up to get something on a shelf. 

“Hey Kageyama.. top or bottom?”

Kageyama spit out his milk.

“W-WHAT?” He could feel his face instantly turn red and glanced quickly at his mom. 

_Why would that dumbass ask something like that with her here??_

She glanced between him and Hinata with her eyebrows raised. 

“For the bagel. Do you want the top half or bottom?” Hinata asked innocently. He smiled up at Kageyama, and he felt his cheeks turn an even darker shade of red.

He glanced over at his mom again, and was shocked to see a small smirk at the corner of her mouth as she sipped her coffee. 

“Kageyama?”

“..Top”

_Fuck my life._

_~_

After THE MOST embarrassing morning of Kageyama's life, he could’ve used a break.

But his mom had other plans.

As soon as Hinata left, she walked around the corner with that same smirk on her face as before. 

“Your boyfriend is so cute, Tobio” 

“HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND” 

His mom's eyebrows rose in surprise. “What?? But…” her eyebrows furrowed together in a way he knew all too well. He saw it in the mirror all the time after all. “Ahh! Fuck buddies then?”

“WHAT- MOM NO” 

“Hmm…” she looked at him suspiciously. 

“He has a girlfriend”

He could see his mom piecing it together, and he knew what she was going to ask before she opened her mouth.

“You like him, don’t you?”

Kageyama looked away and frowned. He knew his silence would be answer enough. 

“You seem happy, Tobio. I haven’t seen you that way since- Well.. for a long time.” 

Kageyama once again kept his mouth closed. It was weird talking to his mom like this. She wasn’t normally the type to have a heart to heart with him. He was waiting for her to say-

“I wish we could talk more, but I have to get ready for work, okay?”

There it was. 

“Yeah”

.｡~☆~｡.

The rest of the weekend without Hinata passed in silence. There was once a time in his life where he was used to this quiet, but now it seemed to press down on him from all sides, until it was almost unbearable.

By Sunday evening, he couldn’t take it anymore. 

He pulled out his phone and debated what to say. He decided to go for the classic:

_‘Hey’_

He counted the seconds while holding his breath. 

**Dumbass:** _‘WHaT BAKAGEYAMA, the worst texter evr IS TEXTING ME FURST??(o_o)’_

26 seconds. 

_‘Shut up’_ He texted back 

**Dumbass** _: ‘do ya really want me to?ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ’_

‘ _Ur a shit’_

 **Dumbass** : _‘hehe(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)’  
_ **Dumbass** : ‘ _why u texting anyways’_

 _‘Bored’_

I mean.. it wasn’t a lie.. 

**Dumbass:** _‘VOLLEYBALL??(°▽°)’_

_‘Fuck yeah’_

**Dumbass:** _‘*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*’_

Kageyama couldn’t help but smile at his phone as he jumped up to get ready. 

.｡~☆~｡.

The next day as lunch break was starting, he was met at the vending machine by a yawning, bleary eyed Hinata. 

“You look like shit” He told him

“And who’s fault is that, meanie-yama?!!” Hinata punched his arm and did his best to look angry. 

Kageyama pushed Hinata away, but as he did so, Hinata stole his milk from his hands.

“Oi- dumbass give that back!!!” 

Hinata wasn’t only fast on the court, and Kageyama had to run full speed to catch up with the runt who was sprinting away, laughing like a maniac. Kageyama caught up to him and wrapped his arm around Hinata’s waist to keep him still as he pulled his (albeit a little squished) milk carton out of his hand. 

“I’m gonna kill you, scrub” he mumbled, then rapidly realized his arm was still around Hinata. He felt his cheeks flush. 

“Hinata!!” A girl's voice called. 

Kageyama quickly stepped away.

Michi came running up to the two boys, breathing hard, and Kageyama didn’t miss the small glare she shot his way. 

“Let’s eat lunch together, Hinata!” She said, smiling once again.

“I was going to eat with Kageyama, but you can join us if you want!” Hinata said, also smiling. 

Kageyama felt his heart falter in his chest and knew he wouldn’t physically be able to sit through a meal watching them smile at each other like that. 

“You guys go ahead, I have to go talk to a teacher about something.” 

Kageyama quickly excused himself, shooting Michi a small glare of his own, and walked away before Hinata could protest. 

_That was the worst excuse I could’ve come up with._

He never talked to teachers.

Kageyama ate his lunch on the stairwell alone, like he used to before Hinata, and stabbed each poor little veggie with a bit more force than they deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa reads BL hentai, pass it on
> 
> —-
> 
> I think I need to move to a twice a week posting schedule (Maybe Sunday and Wednesday?)
> 
> I want the fic to be canon compliant all the way until the end, so uhhh I need the manga finished before I can end. If I post twice a week, it’ll take me through till July so we’ll see!! 
> 
> I have the next few chapters written, (as well as parts of way way future chapters) SO THIS WILL BE HARD I want to just post them all (;´д｀) gah!!
> 
> Anyways comments and kudos are much appreciated. Love you guys!!( ✌︎'ω')✌︎


	9. Operation: HAVE FUN!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training camp? Training camp

“Why do you two spend so much time together?” Michi asked, pouting her lower lip, after Kageyama had stormed off with his hands shoved in his pockets. “I’m your girlfriend after all. It’s so annoying.”

Hinata thought about the question for a second as he watched a grasshopper climb a blade of grass next to his foot.

“Well, he’s my best friend.” 

“I think your girlfriend should be your best friend.” She pulled him in for a hug and kissed him. “Can you do that with a best friend?” Her hands started drifting lower down his sides. 

Hinata quickly pulled away. 

“Uhhh... no?” 

“Exactly!”

_But didn’t I do that with a best friend?_

Hinata pushed the thought down deep inside him. He sure had been doing that a lot recently.

“Come on! Let’s go eat!” She said happily. “And you should come over to my place tonight! I’m having a few friends over.” 

“Sure!”

~

That evening, as promised, he was at Michi’s house with a few of her loud friends. 

One of them (he couldn’t remember her name) had had her first kiss that day, and all the girls were squealing and giggling about it. Hinata's mind drifted to volleyball, and he was very much zoned out. 

-nata. Hinata! Hinata!!!” 

“Huh??” He blinked and realized all the girls were looking at him. “What?” 

“We asked you if Michi was your first kiss??”

_Uh oh_

His brain started quickly thinking of ways to avoid this. He figured it might be a little obvious if he yelled ‘oh dinners in the oven! Gotta go!!’ but he didn’t know what to say. 

“Well.. uh.. not exactly..” 

“You dated that girl Ami, right? Was she your first kiss?” Another of Michi’s friends asked.

“Uh.. not exactly” he could feel his face starting to heat up.

“Who was it then??” 

“Um.. secret.” Hinata let out a nervous laugh 

“Whaaa no fair!” Michi’s friends whined. Why did all their voices sound the same?

Michi, however, was studying him closely with her eyes narrowed. 

“It was Kageyama, wasn’t it?”

“HAH??” Hinata's heart was racing in his chest and he knew his bright red cheeks weren’t helping. He could see in her eyes that she knew it was true.

“Huh? Kageyama?” One of her friends asked. 

“What?? That super hot boy from class 1-3?? Are you serious??”

They all stared at Hinata expectantly.

“Maybe..” he scratched the back of his head nervously. 

“Uwaahhhh not him!” Another cried. Wait, were those tears in her eyes? “I didn’t know he liked boys!!! That must be why he didn’t accept my confession”

“Or mine..” 

“Or mine..”

“Wahhh you’re so lucky!!” Those were definitely tears in her eyes. 

_Did all these girls like Kageyama??_

Michi was still glaring at him, and Hinata knew he had to get out of this somehow. His clothes felt too tight and the room was way too warm. 

“Uh.. dinners in the oven, I gotta go!” He leapt up, grabbed his bag and was out the door within the span of a few seconds.

Once he was outside, he let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. 

_That was bad_

“Hinata.”

He jumped at the sound of Michi’s voice behind him. 

_This is bad_

“I don’t want you spending so much time with Kageyama. I’m your girlfriend, right?”

“Um. Yes.”

“As your girlfriend, I can say that I don’t like you being close to someone who definitely likes you.”

“What, Kageyama?? He doesn’t like me”

Just the thought of Kageyama liking anyone felt so wrong he wanted to laugh. He knew the other boy didn’t care about stuff like that. 

Her eyebrows rose. 

“Just don’t. Okay? It’ll hurt my feelings and we can spend more time together anyways.” she crossed her arms and her eyes had that glossy look to them that meant she was about to cry. 

“O-okay…” 

Hinata walked his bike home, unsure of what he was supposed to think or what he was supposed to do. 

“Just give it time” he whispered to himself again. Almost believing it. 

.｡~☆~｡.  
  


The coming of July brought a dense, humid heat and also the beginning of Tokyo training camp!! Hinata was so excited he could hardly stand it!

“Dumbass, stop moving around so much and smiling like a gross pervert” Kageyama mumbled from his seat next to him on the bus. Even though he scolded Hinata, he also had a very faint smile, and his eyes were lit up with excitement.

“Gah!! You should see your face right now, Yamayama-kun. You’re the one looking like a creepy old pervert!!” 

Kageyama squished Hinata’s face in his hand. “What did you say?? You’re older than me anyways so if I’m old.. you’re like super old!”

“Then I’m still beating you, HAH!!”

Kageyama squished his face tighter. 

“Okay you guys,” Ennoshita said, chuckling, “let’s try and make it an hour without you killing each other.”

“You guys are going to get separated again!!” One of the first years yelled with a little too much excitement from the back row. Hinata whipped around and could imagine the 3 first years eating popcorn as they watched the entertainment of him beating up Kageyama. Or the other way around.. Hinata looked at Kageyama's arms and didn’t like his chances. He must have been working out a lot these days. Hinata felt his stomach tighten. 

_Huh.. probably just jealousy about his muscles being way better than mine_.

.｡~☆~｡.

Much like their first year at Karasuno, the training camp was held by the Fukurōdani Academy Group, which hosted teams from the Kanto region. The mood was slightly more subdued this year, however, as both Bokuto and Kuroo had graduated. 

The first day passed by quickly as time always does when Hinata is playing volleyball, and even the penalties for a lost game, flying laps, fueled Hinata's excitement. By evening, Hinata was ready for bed, but only so the next day would come faster!! Before bed though, he wanted to visit Kenma in Nekomas room. 

~

“I’m glad you didn’t fail your exams this time.” Kenma said quietly as he played some video game that Hinata was enjoying just watching. 

“Whaaa me too!!! I almost did though. I’m more surprised Kageyama passed his! I _have_ been helping him study lots though so that’s probably why.” 

Hinata's mind flashed back to all the times Kageyama was studying, and he would do stupid things to try and distract the taller boy. He’d stick pencils in his own nose to make him laugh, draw all over Kageyama's notebook, and when he got really bored, pull out a volleyball and spike it at Kageyama. (His mom normally started yelling at him at that point). 

Yup, Kageyama passing his exams was alll thanks to him and his superior brain. 

“You two seem a lot closer this year.” Kenma said, pausing his game. It took Hinata a second to realize he was talking about him and Kageyama. (“ _Superior brain, my ass.”_ He could hear Kageyama say). 

“Yeah!! He’s still a stupid jerk, but sometimes he’s a decent human bean.”

“Being”

“Yeah, that” Hinata beamed at Kenma. He was really happy to be able to spend time with his friend because texting just wasn’t the same.

“How’re things with Michi?” Kenma asked.

“Oh good I think, I don’t know” Hinata flopped back on Kenma’s futon. 

“What do you mean?”

“I just…. I don’t know.” Hinata started rambling, “it doesn’t feel quite right. But is that normal for a relationship? Doesn’t it just take time to get to know and like each other? I don’t really miss her right now, but is that because we haven’t been together long? I can’t tell. She keeps texting me and I keep forgetting to answer. Is that normal? That’s kinda how it was with Ami too, but maybe I didn’t give it enough time.”

Kenma hummed and thought for a second. “I think if you’re meant to be with someone, things will feel right when you’re with them. You won’t want to leave, and it will be really hard to be away from them.”

Hinata felt his eyes widen a little.

“Hey, Kenma.. have you felt that way about someone before?”

“No”

Kenma’s cheeks were pink and Hinata had a feeling he wasn’t telling the truth. 

“Gah! Tell me the truth!” Hinata threw a pillow at him and laughed at Kenmas surprised face. 

“Well….”

Hinata waited. He knew it wasn’t easy for Kenma to talk about personal things, so he gave him time.

“It’s been a little quiet with Kuroo gone this year.”

Hinata read between the lines and couldn’t help his mouth from opening in shock. He had no idea. This time, it was Kenma throwing the pillow at him. 

“Grab the other controller, let’s play this level. Even you should be able to do it.”

“Whaa Kenma, you’re as rude as grumpy-yama!!” 

Kenma smiled at him and Hinata felt his heart squeeze. He really didn’t want training camp to end. 

~

  
  


It was late by the time Hinata left to go back to his own room and crawl into his futon, humming with happiness. 

“Dumbass. You’re too loud” Kageyama's muffled voice came from the futon next to his. 

Hinata shoved the mound of blankets that he assumed had Kageyama's body below somewhere and laughed when Kageyama yelled in outrage, “you wanna fuckin go, runt??”

Hinata snickered even more (albeit quietly) when they were shushed by a sleepy Yamaguchi who was on Hinata's other side. 

As Hinata got settled in, he drew the covers up to his chin even though he knew he’d kick them off at some point in the night. He couldn’t help but glance over at the top of Kageyama's head sticking out from his blankets.

Nearly endless volleyball wasn’t the only reason he loved training camps. He also looked forward to being able to spend the whole week sleeping next to Kageyama. 

He just always slept better next to him… that’s all. 

Hinata closed his eyes, smiling, as he scooted a little bit closer to the solid wall of warmth at his side.   
  


Yeah.. this was nice. It just felt right.

Hinata slowly drifted off to sleep with a small smile on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise you all that Hinata will figure things out in just a couple more chapters! He’s a little dumb but we love him. 
> 
> What do y’all think of Michi??
> 
> Also.. art for this chapter is posted on IG @sundance10_art Check it out!!
> 
> Kudos and comments make me SO HAPPY(°▽°) Thank you all for the support so far!! Y’all are the best!


	10. Operation: Try to Not Commit Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama pines

Training camps were one of Kageyama's favorite things. Right up there with milk and pork curry with egg on top. Kageyama’s mouth watered at the thought (He was hungry, okay?)

This year's training camp was equally as hot and brutal as last year, but that didn’t stop Kageyama from working his hardest during the practice matches. Hinata was right alongside him the whole time, goading him on to do his best and not slack off. Not that he wanted to, but Hinata was an intense presence on the team and he knew the others could feel it as well.

Off the court, Hinata still had an intense presence that was hard to describe. Kageyama drank from his water bottle and watched him as he flitted around from person to person, making each of them smile and laugh in turn. 

_He’s like the fucking sun._

“W-what? You wanna start somethin??” Hinata looked up at him as he walked over to grab his own water bottle.

“Yeah, let’s fight. Right here, right now, to the death”

Hinata's eyes sparkled in challenge.

“You’re on!!! Hey.. where’d my water bottle go?”

“Dumbass, you lose everything.” Kageyama rolled his eyes. “Here, you can use mine. But only this once!! And don’t get gross spit inside or you’re dead!”

“Uwaaa thank you!!” Hinata grabbed his bottle, and Kageyama had to look away as Hinata brought it up to his mouth. 

“Indirect kiss” Tanaka whispered in his ear as he walked by, and laughed as the tips of Kageyama's ears turned red.

“Invite me to the wedding” Noya whispered into his other ear. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  
The rest of the week went by quickly, and it was the most fun Kageyama had had in awhile. Volleyball all day every day, delicious food, and Hinata right there with him. 

He would never say it out loud, but he was really enjoying having the little runt around. Although to be honest, group baths in the evenings were borderline torture. They had never been a problem before, but now that he knew he liked Hinata, it felt different. Out of respect for the smaller boy (and for his own reputation) he did his best not to ogle him and made sure he had a towel on hand to wrap around his waist if he ever failed on that front.

Every night, Hinata fell asleep against his side, and Kageyama couldn’t help the pride burning in his chest that it was him the little scrub chose to snuggle with instead of Yamaguchi. Although by morning, he maybe wished it was the other boy, as he sometimes woke up with Hinata's foot jabbing him in his rib cage, and one time even his eye socket (Don’t ask).

All too soon, it was time to pack up and say goodbye to the other teams. 

The bus ride home was always quieter than the trip down, as most people were asleep after a grueling week with little sleep. Hinata was currently dozing against his shoulder, and Kageyama watched the scenery pass by in a blur while trying not to focus on the warmth at his side. The sun was setting over the ocean, and the view quite honestly took Kageyama's breath away. 

He never used to notice little things like sunsets, but recently they’ve been catching his attention more and more. 

By the time they got home, it was very late. Kageyama caught Hinata blinking his eyes sleepily, and the fact that he had only slept for a little bit on the bus seemed to be catching up to him.

“Dumbass. You’re gonna bike right over the side of the mountain and die if you try going home like that. Just come to my place.”

Hinata yawned and beamed at him, much brighter than the sunset had been earlier. 

“Thanks, Kageyama!!” 

Kageyama didn’t respond because he knew the reason for inviting Hinata over was partially for selfish reasons. In all honesty.. he wanted one more night with the annoying boy. 

~

They got ready for bed in relative silence until Hinata started yelling (surprise, surprise). 

“Uwahh I wore all the clothes that I packed and they’re dirty now. Can I just borrow something again tonight?” 

“What do you think I am?? A clothes store?? Oh wait.. you’re not even paying so I couldn’t be a store” Kageyama tossed him a shirt anyways. 

“Meanie! I’m paying you with my presence” Hinata stuck out his tongue.

“Presence, my ass” Kageyama mumbled before getting a face full of pillow.

They brushed their teeth and crawled into Kageyama's bed. They hadn’t used a futon during their sleepovers since the night Kageyama had a nightmare all those months ago and weren’t about to start now. 

Hinata’s phone dinged on the nightstand. Neither of them moved. His phone dinged again, and Hinata still didn’t even move to even look at it. 

“Oi- you gonna respond?”

“No”

…… “You gonna even check who it is?”

Hinata yawned as he said “it’s just Michi. It can wait till morning.”

Kageyama frowned, causing Hinata to smile and poke his forehead between his eyebrows where it was all scrunched up.

Hinata’s smile faded as he looked at him. He looked like he was deciding whether or not to say something.

”She asked me to stop hanging out with you. 

Kageyama’s heart jumped uncomfortably in his chest.

_How could she ask that?? Oh god.. what if Hinata agreed._

_  
_“What did you say?” He should’ve said ‘dumbass.’ He didn’t want Hinata to know how upset he actually was and saying ‘dumbass’ just seemed to help with that.  
  


“Well.. I said okay because I didn’t want to fight with her, but I can’t do that. If she asks again, I’ll just tell her you’re my best friend and I’m not going to ditch you! So don’t worry, you’ll still get plenty of time seeing my beautiful face! Mwahaha!!” 

Kageyama felt a wave of relief course through him.

“Dumbass. Do you think you’re just a gift to humanity?” He rolled his eyes 

_He really is though._

Hinata scrunched up his nose in a huge smile that ripped the air from Kageyama’s lungs. He turned over on his back and sighed, “Ahh that was such a fun week, wasn’t it ‘Yama?” 

“Mhhm. And don’t call me that.”

“What? ‘Yamaaaa” Hinata teased.

Kageyama flicked his forehead. “Idiot” he mumbled. “Just be quiet and leave me alone.” 

Hinata snickered but complied, moving closer to Kageyama as he always does before he falls asleep. 

“Kageyama?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you okay with me being this close?” 

“Yeah” .. what an understatement. 

“Okay, good! Goodnighttt!” Hinata moved even closer.

His whole body seemed to radiate heat, and Kageyama's eyes soon drifted closed in a haze of comfort. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


He awoke to the sound of a small knock and his door opening. He was too comfy, so he didn’t open his eyes right away. It was probably just his mom or Hinata anyways. Wait.. that couldn’t be right. Neither would knock, and Hinata was definitely below him. 

He could feel every breath the smaller boy took with his face pressed into the crook of Kageyama's neck. 

They were both laying on their sides facing each other, and Kageyama could feel a weight on his hip where Hinata’s leg was hitched around it and a solid weight in between his own legs where Hinata’s other leg must be. As he woke up further, he noticed his arm was tightly wrapped around Hinata’s waist, holding him against his chest. His eyes jerked open. 

It wasn’t his mom either.

It was… Michi??

“The fuck you doing in my room?” Kageyama mumbled with his raspy morning voice, not moving from where he was laying. 

“I wanted to talk to you about something. Your mom let me in and said you were up here.. I didn’t know _he_ was here though” she was definitely glaring at him. 

Kageyama would have some choice words with his mom later about this. 

He slowly sat up, being careful not to disrupt Hinata. He managed to unwrap the smaller boy's arms, but realized he wouldn’t be able to unwrap his leg from his waist without nearly pushing him off the bed. He let it stay on his lap and moved the other leg to his lap as well while he swung his own legs over the side of the bed. 

His eyebrows rose in expectation as he glared right back at the girl who so rudely woke him up from what had been the best sleep of his life. 

“Well?”

“I want you to stop spending so much time with _my_ boyfriend.”

As if Hinata could sense they were talking about him, he groaned and started feeling the bed beside him, looking for Kageyama's warmth. Kageyama couldn’t help the small smile as he saw Hinata's frustrated, sleeping face.

He looked back at Michi quickly. “Well _your_ boyfriend isn’t an object and he’s allowed to do what he wants.”

As if on a cue, Hinata’s searching hand bumped Kageyama's back. “Mmm ‘Yama.. where’d you go?” he mumbled in his sleep and shifted to find Kageyama's warmth. Once he realized where he had moved to, he sleepily sat up and scooted until he was seated in Kageyama's lap, with his legs wrapped around his waist and arms tucked up against Kageyama’s chest. He nuzzled his face against his collarbone and continued his deep breathing as if nothing had happened. Kageyama's shirt was so big on him, it had partially slipped down his shoulder. 

Kageyama once again shot Michi a look that he knew Hinata would have scolded him about if he had been awake. 

“Just stop, okay?” She said crossing her arms. “I know you like him and all, but do you really think you have a chance? We’re dating. He likes me. Just leave it.” 

Her words sunk like daggers into his heart, but he knew he couldn’t show how much they affected him. He yawned and said, “I think it’s up to him.” 

Michi opened her mouth to respond when Kageyama cut her off- “close the door on the way out.” 

It was too damn early for this. 

He wrapped his arms back around Hinata and laid down, pulling his feet up on the bed and tugging the blanket up around them. Michi stood in his room for a second at a loss of words, but quickly stomped back towards the door with a mumbled “asshole” as she left. 

Kageyama’s heart was thumping rapidly inside his chest. She had voiced everything that had been torturing him inside his mind.

_I don’t have a chance._

These small moments with Hinata were all he was ever going to get. Could he be okay with that? He closed his eyes and breathed in Hinata’s citrus scent. 

He’d have to be okay with it. 

He glanced at the clock and was surprised to see it was already 9:00am. Normally he was an early riser, oftentimes going for a run to start the day on weekends. But after enduring a grueling training camp, and having a certain little runt (who happened to be real comfy) next to him, Kageyama found himself slowly dozing in and out of sleep as he enjoyed the sound of Hinata's deep breaths and feeling his soft hair tickle his chin. 

The logical part of his brain said Kageyama needed to pull away and that he was going to end up hurt by indulging in moments like these.. but his sleepy brain said _stay_. 

He couldn’t argue with that. 

Kageyama closed his eyes, held Hinata just a little bit tighter and decided he’d deal with the hurt when he came to it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama’s mom knows exactly what she’s doing.. 
> 
> I hit that lovely “this sucks and no one actually likes it” wall with this fic and my art today, yay. T^T But don’t worry! I’ll get through it and post the next chapter on Wednesday as promised! (And it’ll be the last chapter with Michi!!!) 
> 
> IG for this fic is @sundance10_art


	11. Operation: oof

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: there is some mild non-consensual content in this chapter. Once again, it isn’t extreme by any means, but if you’re sensitive to it I figured it would be best to give a warning. 
> 
> Basically Michi can tell that she’s losing Hinata to Kageyama and thinks that if they just do more physically .. Hinata will want to stay with her instead. But it doesn’t go too far, don’t worry!

Hinata biked home after school on Monday, his shirt clinging to his back with sweat. It was another sweltering day with humidity so high it felt like he was taking a shower as he panted open mouthed peddling up yet another hill.

His eyebrows were furrowed together as he thought about the sucky day he had had. Last night had been his first night sleeping alone in awhile, and he’ll admit it wasn’t as easy as he remembered.

By not getting much sleep, his day had started off wrong (and it didn’t help that both Kageyama and Michi were acting weird).

They both wanted to eat lunch with him, and just glared at each other the whole time. Glaring was relatively normal for Kageyama, but Michi acting that way had surprised him. He originally thought it was because he told her he wanted to eat with Kageyama too when she asked if they could eat alone, but she seemed upset the rest of the day as well. When Hinata asked her why, she acted like nothing was the matter. 

_Why can’t girls be as easy to understand as volleyball??_

That’s all he needed.. to play some volleyball. He walked in his front door announcing that he was home.. and was met with.. silence??

_Huh?_

His home was never quiet!! What was going on??

He walked around the corner and saw a note on the counter letting him know that his mom had taken Natsu in for an appointment then dinner, and his dad wasn’t going to be home till late. His mom had left food for him though, so he ate it quietly by himself, scarfing it down so he could quickly get outside and play volleyball.

The sun was setting as he laid in the warm grass, setting the ball above his head over and over again. 

He was still sticky with sweat, but the evening air was quickly cooling around him. The chirping of crickets from the nearby bushes was a comforting sound, and he found himself starting to relax.

Things were just better with volleyball. It’s basically a law of the universe!!  
  


~  
  


After it grew dark, Hinata decided to call it quits (aka he couldn’t see the ball very well, and it landed on his face). 

He begrudgingly made his way inside where he picked up his phone, definitely NOT secretly hoping a certain grumpy boy had texted. Nope. Absolutely not. 

One new message. His heart jumped as he quickly unlocked his phone.

 **Michi:** ‘ _hey Hinata! What’s up?”_

Hinata ignored the feeling of disappointment and quickly typed back:

‘f _inished playin some volleyball!!! No ones home rn so I’ll just kill time till tonite I guess haha.’_

He threw the phone on his bed and decided a shower sounded like a great idea. 

It was.

The spray of warm water felt so good against his skin, washing away the day’s sweat, along with loosening his tight muscles. 

After he finally dragged himself out of the shower, he changed into his pajamas and was about to settle in to watch some old volleyball matches when he realized his phone on his bed. 

_Maybe grumpy-yama is bored too?_

He picked up his phone and his eyes widened as he read: 

**8 new messages**

He quickly unlocked his phone. 

**Michi:** _‘ohhh you’re home alone?’_

 **Michi:** _‘isn’t this the part where you invite me over? Hmm? ;)’_

 **Michi:** _‘Hinata?? Answerrrr’_

 **Michi:** ‘ _hello?’_

 **Michi:** _‘if you don’t answer in 15 minutes I’m coming over, okay?’_

 **Michi:** ‘okay! I’m heading over now! ;)’

 **Michi:** _‘see you sooooon ;) ;)’_

Hinata stared at the winky faces for a second before reading the time the last text had been sent and jumped up in alarm when he saw “ **sent 32 minutes ago”**

That means she should be- 

KNOCK KNOCK 

Hinata whipped around and ran to his bedroom door, only to have it open in front of him revealing a smiling Michi. 

“Hey Hinata!”

“Whaaa!! What are you doing here??”

She pouted, but her smile quickly returned “I missed you, silly! Did you miss me?” She fluttered her eyelashes up at him and Hinata swallowed. 

“Oh! Uh.. yeah!!” He felt bad about lying, but how could he tell her that he didn’t?

Michi grabbed his hand and brought him over to his bed, sitting on it and patting the space next to her. Hinata sat down near his pillow, his heart beating way too fast. 

“So.. Hinata… I was thinking” she once again looked up at him through her long eyelashes. “We’ve been together awhile now..”

“Heh, Yeah?” He rubbed the back of his head.

Had they?

“You know.. we’ve kissed and stuff but haven’t done anything more.”

Hinata's heart stopped beating altogether. “Well… I guess I just haven’t felt ready for that!” He managed to get out.

Michi slowly crawled towards him, Hinata quickly scooted backwards but was soon pressed up against his headboard. She placed her hand on his thigh and said with her voice low, “I think you’d change your mind if we just tried”

“No, I really don’t-“

Michi cut him off by pressing her mouth against his. It felt .. wrong. He didn’t want this. 

Hinata tried to gently press her away by her shoulders but she didn’t budge. He tried again with more force and was successful.

“Don’t do that” he whispered

A look like hurt crossed her face, but was quickly replaced by what he recognized as her determined face. She pulled back, to Hinata's relief… But then started to pull off her shirt. “you’ll really enjoy it, I promise. What boy wouldn’t want this?” 

“I don't. Not right now” Hinata said as he was starting to panic for real now. He felt sick. 

He was stunned as she wrestled his shirt off of him, and pressed him further against the headboard, pinning his hands above his head and pushing her lips against his. 

He pulled back again as best as his position allowed, his heart hammering in his chest “Michi, stop!”

She pressed closer. 

Hinata's door slammed open with a loud bang. 

Hinata and Michi whipped their heads towards the sound and saw Kageyama in the doorway. 

He looked ready to murder.

Hinata had never seen him that angry before, not even when he had sent a serve into the back of his head. Despite how incredibly terrifying his face was, Hinata had never been happier to see him. Relief flooded his veins as he used Michi’s moment of surprise to jump up and run on trembling legs to Kageyama. He wrapped his arms around his waist, and couldn’t help a small sob from escaping him. Kageyama wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and it felt so nice and comforting that Hinata’s eyes quickly filled with tears. 

“I said earlier that it’s all his choice-“ Kageyama started, “but I’m telling you now to stay the fuck away from him.”

Hinata didn’t know what he was talking about, but he breathed in the comforting smell of the taller boy and tried to control his shaking.

He heard Michi stand up, but he couldn’t turn to look at her. 

“You can’t tell me to stay away from my own boyfriend.”

Hinata turned around at that, with an arm still around Kageyama, clutching at his hoodie. He tried to keep his voice even as he said, “I’m not your boyfriend anymore” Kageyama's arm tightened against him. 

He felt his gut clench as her eyes opened in shock, then filled with tears. “What?” She whispered. 

He managed to say, “I didn’t want any of that. You pushed too far and I can’t do this anymore. You can’t just tell people what they want.” 

She clenched her fist and looked like she was about to argue, but Kageyama cut her off and said to her quietly “you never deserved him.”

Hinata felt his mouth part in surprise as he glanced up at his setter who was still glaring angrily at Michi with a look in his eyes that Hinata couldn’t read. His arm was trembling where it was wrapped around Hinata. 

_Did he mean that?_

“You’re going to regret this.” Michi said as she grabbed her shirt and walked quickly out of his room, glaring daggers at Kageyama the whole time, which he returned with full force. She slammed the door on the way out.

Hinata’s knees gave out below him, and he sunk to the floor. Kageyama quickly followed him down and opened his arms as an invitation for the smaller boy. Hinata gladly accepted and once again wrapped his arms around Kageyama as he let his pent up tears finally flow. Kageyama held him tightly while Hinata cried and cried until it hurt a little bit less inside. 

He realized his shaking had turned into shivering. 

_Where did my shirt go?_

Kageyama noticed at the same time Hinata did, and quickly peeled off his own hoodie. He put it over Hinata's head where he was engulfed in the warmth. He stuck his hands through the arms, but his fingertips just barely poked out of the sleeves. 

Kageyama had a real funny look on his face.

“You look constipated,” Hinata mumbled as a way to try and break the tension. 

It worked, as Kageyama's face went from stupid to angry. 

“Hah??” 

Hinata felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth and Kageyama’s face went back to being stupid. 

They were both still sitting on Hinata's floor. 

“But wait.. why are you at my house?”

“Didn’t you get my text?”

“What text?”

Kageyama rolled his eyes. 

Hinata jumped up to grab his phone and opened his messages, quickly deleting Michi’s past messages before he looked at them too long and started crying again. He didn’t regret what he told her, in fact he was feeling really good about it, but all that had happened was still too raw in his mind, and he didn’t need the reminder. 

Hinata saw that he did in fact have another message and opened it to read:

 **Ousamayama(-᷅_-᷄๑):** _‘left book ther last week and I have exam tomorow. Be there in a bit.’_

“Oh…. well.. I’ll get your book” Hinata sniffed, his nosy still runny. 

Kageyama looked up at him, still sitting on the floor. “When does your family get back?”

Hinata thought for a second before replying “dunno.. an hour or so maybe”

“Want me to stay till then?”

Hinata nodded, not quite trusting his voice to speak.

They curled up on Hinata's bed, watching the volleyball matches that Hinata had wanted to watch earlier, and Kageyama didn’t normally initiate touch with Hinata (or anyone), but he must have made an exception from his cranky guy image and wrapped his arm around Hinata, pulling him close against his side.

Hinata wasn’t complaining, Kageyama was nice and warm and smelled good and made his insides feel all gwahhh and comfy.

Don’t ask how insides can feel comfy, but they did. 

Hinata imagined all his guts and organs with little warm fuzzy blankets and started to actually giggle. He still felt super emotionally drained from earlier, but a warmth was beginning to grow in his chest. 

Kageyama pinched him on the side “what’s so funny, runt?” 

“Heh.. nothing. Just happy”

Kageyama put his hand on his head, like he does when he squeezes Hinata's scalp, and he couldn’t help but tense up. Kageyama's head squeezes were scary, but instead of yanking aggressively, Kageyama gently ran his fingers through Hinata's orange curls while he looked back at the screen as if nothing happened.   
  


As if he didn’t know that Hinata’s heart stopped beating when he did it

As if he didn’t know Hinata's whole world shifted at that gentle touch.

  
  


_..BWUHh?!....  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof this chapter was a roller coaster to write.. It weirdly helped me work through some past non-consensual things in my own life though and idk why!
> 
> But then I accidentally deleted it and had to write it all over again and it wasn’t as easy the second time
> 
> It was still good for me I think though.. I realized how much I wish there had been someone like Kageyama to stop it at the time and oof..
> 
> Anyways!! Enough way too personal details about me.. I’d love to know what you think!! I bet y’all are happy Michi is gone now and we can get into some FLUFF yaaayyy my favorite!!!!!(๑>◡<๑) 
> 
> IG for this fic: @sundance10_art  
> General fanart IG: @kcfanart
> 
> Please comment or come talk to me on IG I love you all!!＼(^o^)／


	12. Operation: Talk it Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama’s doin his best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I was so excited to post this chapter!!!
> 
> Healthy relationships are my kink, and Kags learning to talk through things makes my heart go GWAHH
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it!

Kageyama knew something wasn’t right, even before he opened his eyes. It was too bright and too warm to be his room. He felt around and realized the blankets felt different as well. 

“You awake yet?!” An annoying voice yelled right in his ear. 

He jerked awake and sat up quickly, slamming his forehead against Hinata’s chin in the process.

“Gah!! that hurt, Bakageyama!” Hinata frowned down at him from where he was kneeling. He rubbed his chin gingerly and looked away, still frowning. 

Kageyama took this as an opportunity to look him over and see how he was doing after yesterday. His eyes were red rimmed and his mouth was pressed into a thin line that Kageyama knew wasn’t only because he had just head butted him. 

He wasn’t surprised. 

He couldn’t help his fists clenching in anger as he remembered what Michi had done.

Last night, he had let himself in like normal, and as he walked towards Hinata's room, he had heard voices. He could hear that both Michi and Hinata were in the room, but couldn’t tell what they were saying. He paused right outside of Hinata's door and heard nothing besides the sound of clothes rustling and a gross noise that was probably kissing. A wave of nausea hit him hard, and he quickly turned around preparing to leave and not interrupt before he threw up, but then he heard Hinata. 

His blood ran cold as he heard “Michi, stop!!” Time froze, and before he knew it, he ripped open Hinata’s door and saw that Michi had Hinata’s arms pinned. The look in Hinata’s eyes caused Kageyama’s whole world to halt. His rage almost blinded him and blood roared in his ears. He was so angry that he didn’t remember much of what he said, but he remembered Hinata’s arms around him and the sound of a broken sob escaping his small body. He felt his own heart ache and never wanted to hear it again.

He also definitely remembered Hinata telling Michi he wasn’t her boyfriend anymore... 

“Kageyama, you look really scary! Also your mom called because she didn’t know where you were but it’s okay, I talked to her! I think she likes me despite what you say because she sounded really happy!” His words rolled over Kageyama in waves as he was still trying to process why he was in Hinata’s bed. Last he remembered, he was going to leave when Hinata’s family got home. It was too damn early for thinking. The sun hadn’t even risen yet, but Hinata was dressed in his school uniform and had the lights turned on. Kageyama rubbed his eyes and pushed Hinata away from him. 

“Dumbass, what time is it?”

“5:30!! We should get breakfast quick so you can get home in time to change into your school clothes.” Hinata jumped off the bed and left to go to the kitchen. Kageyama groggily got up and followed. 

  
~  
  


The walk back to his house was a little chilly, making him upset that he forgot his sweatshirt at Hinata's home. However, remember the hoodie made the image of how small and cozy Hinata looked while wearing it enter his mind against his will (rude). Speaking of the runt…. he was being strangely quiet as he pushed his bike alongside Kageyama. Normally he was full of energy this time of day, and did nothing but bounce around and talk Kageyama's ear off. He listened to the clicking of Hinata’s bike tires and the crunching gravel beneath their feet as he glanced over and saw the smaller boy staring at the ground. 

“Oi-“

“Hmm?”

He didn’t actually know what to say.. he just wanted Hinata to stop looking so damn sad. He wasn’t supposed to look that way. 

“How much you wanna bet I fail my exam today?”

A little bit of that familiar competitive sparkle lit in the corner of Hinata’s. 

“Three meat-buns that you will!!” 

“Three?? You sure are confident.”

“Heh. I can’t wait to eat them later.” Hinata’s chin rose in an air of arrogance, causing Kageyama to click his tongue in disbelief.

“Dumbass” he mumbled, but was relieved to see the smaller boy's head not hanging anymore, and a small smile on his lips.   
  


~  
  


Kageyama should’ve known it was about to go downhill. 

After practice, they walked to their classrooms together like they normally did, since they were in the same hallway anyways, but as they entered the hallway, Kageyama knew something was wrong. 

Everyone was staring at them. 

Did Hinata have something on his face again? He looked to check, and felt his heart drop. Hinata must have noticed everyone staring at them too and was back to looking at the floor. “See you” he mumbled as he darted into his classroom. Kageyama felt his brow furrow as he entered his own. 

“Is that the face of someone who’s finally getting some action??” One the boys in his class shouted once he entered. He didn’t know his name, but he was one of the only people in his class who regularly talked to Kageyama. A few other kids laughed, and he felt his scowl deepen. 

“Huh?” His gaze dared the other boy to speak. “What are you talking about?”

“You and that real cute short guy on your volleyball team!!”

“What are you talking about?” He repeated. 

Another kid pulled out his phone. “Aren’t you guys together?” He showed him what was on the screen, and Kageyama felt his heart sink to somewhere around his stomach. On the phone was a picture of him and Hinata sleeping with their arms wrapped around each other, Hinata very obviously wearing his shirt, and a small dumb smile on Kageyamas very own sleeping face. 

_Michi.. that day she was in my room.._

_that fucking bitch._

He willed his face into as neutral of an expression as he could manage as he said “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Um.. Kageyama there’s literally a picture-“

“-don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shrugged, cutting them off with another glare that would’ve made Hinata yell at him about his face sticking, and made his way to his desk. 

He sat down and pretended everything was normal. 

Pretended his heart wasn’t thundering in his chest.

Pretended that he didn’t hear everyone whispering around him and glancing his way.

He wondered how Hinata was reacting to all this.   
  


.｡~☆~｡.  
  


During practice later that day, he tried to gauge if his other teammates had heard yet. He figured they didn’t, as Tanaka and Noya would’ve yelled something by then for sure.

Hinata wouldn’t look him in the eye, and when Kageyama tried to talk to him, he quickly excused himself to go practice spiking with one of the first years. It hurt. A lot. 

He decided to take it out on his poor volleyball by practicing jump serves. The familiar sting of the ball against his palm helped the tightness in his chest slowly subside, but every time he looked across the room at Hinata it would come back. He still looked too damn sad. 

“Kageyama-“

“-HUH?” He spun around at Coach’s voice.

Coach’s eyes widened at his reaction, but he quickly collected himself. “Is everything… okay?”

Kageyama almost laughed. No it fucking wasn’t.

“It’s fine.”

“Okay.. well if you need to talk about anything, just let me know.” Coach scratched the back of his head nervously.

Kageyama just nodded and returned to his serve practicing. 

  
~  
  


He wasn’t surprised when Hinata left quickly once practice was over without a word to Kageyama. He also wasn’t surprised to see that once he walked outside, there he wasn’t a sigh of Hinata, nor his bike. 

Swallowing around the tightness in his throat, Kageyama tried to blink away the stinging feeling in his eyes. His hands were trembling. 

“Kageyama” Coach has walked up behind him again, his voice gentler this time. “Why don’t you come grab a bite to eat at Sakanoshita”

Kageyama didn’t trust his voice to speak, so he just nodded instead.  
  


~  
  


He ended up spilling everything to Coach that afternoon over a steaming cup of hojicha. 

It felt good to finally talk about it all, even if he did feel a bit awkward the whole time. Coach looked about as awkward as he felt, and he knew he was like him when it came to these kinds of things (he couldn’t blame him). Despite him looking uncomfortable, there was a softness in his eyes that encouraged Kageyama to keep speaking. 

When he had finished talking, Coach put a hand gently on his shoulder. Neither of them were touchy-feely people, which made Kageyama appreciate the effort, even if it made him feel weird. He looked down at his lap and waited for Coach to say something. Anything. God, that was hard to talk about and now he just felt uncomfortable. Did he share too much? Was this weird?-

“-Kageyama,”

He jumped at his voice.

“Thank you for telling me.” 

Kageyama felt a little bit of the tension in his shoulders ease. 

“I’m not the best with this kind of stuff, in case you didn’t notice- but I understand how you’re feeling.”

Kageyama didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded. He knew that Coach did understand, due to what Hinata had said about him and Takeda-sensei. That was the reason Kageyama felt okay about sharing his feelings about Hinata with him in the first place. 

“Look.. all I know is that no matter what, something like this isn’t going to tear apart your friendship with Hinata. That was probably Michi’s intention by making things weird between you guys too soon, but you two have a really, really special connection. I was actually shocked at first to hear you two weren’t childhood friends!”

Kageyama looked away.

“You guys avoided each other in practice today, but that needs to stop. Talk to him about this. Communication is important whether that’s on the court or in relationships, okay?”

“Yeah” 

“Good. I know it’ll work out between you two, it always does. Just stop avoiding each other, huh? I’m not telling you to confess your feelings or anything, but clear up whatever’s going on between you sooner rather than later.” 

“Yeah” He hesitated before asking “is this.. weird? That I like Hinata?” 

The softness in the older man's eyes turned a little sad. “Does it feel weird? Or wrong?” 

“No.” Kageyama had never been more sure of anything. 

“Good. Because it shouldn’t.” Coach clapped him on the shoulder, a little rougher this time and smiled. 

Kageyama hesitantly returned the smile as he bowed his head. “Thank you, coach.”

Ever since his grandfather passed away, he hadn’t had a father figure in his life. Talking like this felt weird.. but maybe a good weird. He pressed his lips together and studied his shoelaces. 

“Can I have a few pork buns?”

  
~

Kageyama walked to Hinata’s house, dragging his feet the whole way. 

He knew Coach was right about needing to talk to Hinata, but what was he going to say when he got there?? He didn’t know how to talk through something like this! 

“How the hell do you even talk through something?!” Kageyama muttered angrily to himself and was thankful for once in his life that Hinata’s house was so damn far away. 

All too soon, the front door loomed in front of him, much more intimidating than any wall of blockers had been. 

He steeled his nerves and knocked. And waited. 

He heard a quick pattering of feet approach the door and stood up a little straighter. The door opened revealing a mop of orange curls. 

Only they weren’t Hinata’s familiar orange curls. 

“Tobio!!!!” Natsu screamed with a big smile.

“Hey Natsu, is Hin- Shouyou here?” Hinata’s first name felt foreign on his tongue. 

Hinata’s mom peaked around the corner and exclaimed “he isn’t with you?? He hasn’t come home yet so I assumed… I can try calling him?”

Kageyama didn’t know whether to feel relieved, disappointed, or just worried. “That’s okay, I think I know where he is. I’ll go find him.”

“Uwaahh, then come back here so we can play okay!?” Natsu was just as loud and demanding as her older brother. 

“Okay” Kageyama gave her a smile that he hoped wasn’t too scary, and was soon on his search for a certain little annoying runt.   
  


~

He knew it. 

Even before he got to the park near Hinata’s house, Kageyama heard the sound of a volleyball being struck over and over again. He turned the corner and saw that Hinata was already worked into a sweat as he spiked his volleyball against the bathroom building’s wall again and again. 

“Oi- dumbass. What did that building ever do to you?” He said even though he knew all about Hinata’s fear of bathrooms. 

“GAH-“ Hinata spiked the ball too hard in surprise, and it flew back with a little too much force.. right into his face. 

Kageyama couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. 

_He’s so damn stupid._

Hinata quickly jumped up and spun towards him. His mouth hanging open in shock as he managed to stammer “W-What are you doing here??”

Kageyama held out the bag of meat buns he had brought from Sakanoshita Shop and wagged it back and forth. 

“I failed my exam. Here’s your fucking meat buns, scrub” Kageyama moved to sit at one of the benches to hide how weak his legs felt 

Hinata eye’d him warily. “You aren’t mad at me?”

“Huh?? Aren’t I always mad at you?” Kageyama scowled to prove his point.

“I mean like actually mad at me, dummy”

“Why would I be?” Kageyama threw him the bag of meat buns. He couldn’t help but smile as Hinata quickly gave up looking at him suspiciously and ripped into the bag while walking over to sit next to him. 

“Well..” Hinata said, talking with his mouth full. Gross. “Because of what everyone was saying!!”

“Swallow before you talk, idiot, and I don’t care.”

Hinata stopped chewing as he looked at him wide eyed. “Really?”

“Yeah. You know I’ve never cared what other people think.”

“Gah you’re such a monster! who thinks like that all the time!!?” Hinata was back to eating and most likely flinging food all over Kageyama while he talked with his mouth full.

“You have to swallow, you dumbass!!” Kageyama yelled right as a couple walked by with their dog. They gave him a funny look and walked a little faster. Kageyama's ears turned red. 

“You really don’t care, though?” Hinata asked, also giving him a funny look, tucking his legs up against his chest. 

“No. Do you?” Kageyama looked down at him.

“No”

Kageyama felt relief rush through his whole body, and resisted the urge to wipe away the crumb at the corner of Hinata's mouth. He ate like he was freakin five years old. “How’re you feeling, runt?” 

“Huh?”

“After that whole shit-show last night and today.” Kageyama’s eyes narrowed at the memory, glancing at Hinata as he hoped it was okay to bring it up. 

“Uwahh Kageyama you’re asking me how I’m feeling?? I’m so touched.” He pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye, smiling a little before he looked up seriously at Kageyama. “I’m getting there. I’ll feel better if we play some volleyball though!!!” 

Kageyama felt the corners of his mouth curl upwards as his whole body started to feel lighter as he said “Whoever drops the ball first has to give the other the last steamed bun”

“Wait- these are mine though!!” Hinata whined 

“Better not drop the ball then.” Kageyama jumped up and held out his hand to help Hinata to his feet. Hinata grabbed his hand and beamed that unnaturally bright smile at him. God, it felt good seeing that again. Even if it did partially blind him.   
  


~  
  


Kageyama ended up winning, and ate the steamed bun in triumph on their way to Hinata’s house. He _had_ promised Natsu he’d go back to play with her after all. Hinata kept glaring at him and looking at the steamed bun longingly. 

“Idiot, stop looking at me like that.” He nudged him with his elbow. 

“But I’m hungryyyy!” Hinata whined, grabbing his arm and hanging on to it. 

“You had two already!!” He shook Hinata off of his arm and felt a little bad, but just the small touch caused jolts of electricity to run down his spine. He took one more bite and held out the rest of the bun to Hinata. 

“Whaaaa Kageyama did you hit your head or something?? Or spit on it??” Hinata looked up at him through narrowed eyes. Damn, his freckles were cute. Had Kageyama noticed that before? He felt his cheeks start to heat up, so he quickly shoved the bun in Hinata’s mouth before looking away and mumbling a brief “shut up”

Kageyama looked back again as Hinata laughed while he chewed the last of the bun, and Kageyama mentally patted himself on the back for not staring TOO long.   
  


~  
  


They ended up playing a board game that night, despite them being dangerous with the Hinata siblings and normally ending with Kageyama being partially deaf.. but he couldn’t say that he minded too much. Hinata’s parents were on the couch watching tv as they played on the floor, and the fact that this was starting to feel familiar caused a warm feeling to settle deep inside of him. 

“Whaaa Kageyama your smile isn’t actually that creepy for once!!” 

Kageyama smothered him with a pillow as Natsu laughed gleefully and clapped her hands. 

  
~  
  


Everyone else had gone to bed as Kageyama and Hinata lazily watched tv, still sitting on the floor. 

“Hey Kageyama.. can you stay tonight?” His voice sounded strained.

“Sure.” Kageyama looked over at Hinata. The blue light from the tv screen lit his features up in a ghostly way, causing his eyes to shine. Wait.. it wasn’t just the screen. His eyes were slowly filling with tears. 

“What is it, dumbass?” He whispered, scared of speaking too loudly and startling Hinata. He looked so small with his knees hugged to his chest. 

“It’s nothing.. just thinking too much.. that’s all. 

_Ah.._

Kageyama didn’t know what to say, but reached over besides Hinata and placed his hand palm up between them as an invitation. A tear ran down Hinata’s cheeks as he looked at Kageyama in surprise, but quickly intertwined their fingers together, squeezing Kageyama's hand tightly. Hinata squished his eyes shut, as if he were trying to hold the tears in. 

Kageyama rubbed tiny circles with his thumb on the back of Hinata's soft hand. He remembered how comforting the movements had been when Hinata had rubbed his back after the nightmare he had. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, remembering Hinata had asked him that at the time as well. 

Hinata shook his head and moved closer to Kageyama, putting his head on his shoulder as he pulled Kageyama's hand onto his lap, grabbing it with both hands. Kageyama just squeezed his hand in response. 

Kageyama didn’t know how long they stayed like that. Time seemed to pass quickly and yet so slow at the same time, but soon enough, Hinata’s breaths started to even out. His own eyes started to feel heavy. Hinata’s leg twitched against his as it sometimes does when he’s asleep. 

_Dumbass.. is he sleeping already??_

He heard footsteps by the living room door and looked up, startled, to see Hinata’s mom who must have seen the lamp light on and come to turn it off. 

She smiled at him as she placed her finger up to her lips, giving him a small wink as she walked back out the door. 

_Ah shit._

Kageyama's ears turned red, and he was tempted to pull away.. but one glance at Hinata’s peaceful face, little puffs of breath escaping his parted lips, had Kageyama frowning up at the ceiling because he couldn’t physically do that. 

This small boy was going to be the death of him and he knew it. 

Hinata mumbled in his sleep, something about steamed buns and unicorns. 

_I guess there’s worse ways to go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost split this one into two chapters and had this one end with things still being funky between them but I COULDN'T DO IT. Y’all deserve a fluffy chapter ending!!!
> 
> You guys make me so happy, and I check every morning when I wake up to read your comments because they just make my day 1000x better!! Thank youuuu.°(ಗдಗ。)°.
> 
> Come find me on IG @kcfanart and @sundace10_art


	13. Operation: Stop Being Dumb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata realizes he might like a boy after all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Hinata finally going to figure things out?

Hinata slowly woke up and immediately recognized the comfortable warmth surrounding him as coming from Kageyama. He felt the solid weight of his arm around him and smiled a little bit as he snuggled even closer to that delicious heat, enjoying the feeling of his fuzzy blankets surrounding them

Wait..

His blankets...

 _How did I get in my bed??_ His eyes flew open as he sat up and took in the fact that yes, he was in his bed after he CLEARLY remembered falling asleep in his living room. 

_Can I teleport???_ Hinata scrunched his eyes closed and clenched his fists as he tried very hard to envision his living room-

“You tryin’ to take a shit?” Mumbled a deep voice from below him. 

His eyes flew open at the raspy sound of Kageyama’s voice. 

“GAH!! you ruined my concentration!” 

“Do you need to concentrate when you do that? Concentrate on leaving and going into the bathroom please.”

“Meanie! I was trying to teleport!”

“Oh, my mistake, please continue.” Kageyama was still lying down on the pillow, with his head resting on his arm as he gazed sleepily up at Hinata. His hair was a little messy, and Hinata resisted the urge to reach out and ruffle it even further. He always enjoyed the moments when Kageyama first woke up. He seemed… softer. No scowl on his face, eyes bright, and his voice… 

Hinata quickly jerked his gaze away as he felt his stomach do that annoying thing it just does sometimes and continued trying to teleport. 

Needless to say, he didn’t end up teleporting (disappointing) which left him the only other explanation: Kageyama must have carried him. Hinata quickly shoved the thought down and did his best to not stare at Kageyama’s arm muscles. 

As they ate breakfast together, listening to Natsu retell all the thrilling details of a dream she had the night before, Hinata couldn’t help but study Kageyama’s face. He still had that morning softness, and quite honestly Hinata was having a hard time looking away. God, he was being weird, wasn’t he? 

“You tryin to start something, dumbass?” 

_Ah crap he noticed_. 

“Yeah!! I challenge you to an arm wrestling contest!! I bet I’ll win!” That was the first thing to come into his mind. He was still thinking about Kageyama’s arms apparently. 

Kageyama’s eyes focused in competitiveness. “Loser has to do the other person's dishes.”

“You’re on!!”

Hinata ended up doing the dishes.  
  


~

At practice that morning, it seemed word had finally gotten around within the team that they were “dating.” Hinata could tell as soon as they walked into the club room, since everyone’s gaze shifted onto them. Tanaka and Noya were soon swarming them, clapping them on the back, exclaiming their congratulations, and telling them to use protection (he wanted to die). The rest of the team just laughed and continued getting dressed. 

_Huh?.. why aren’t they making a big deal about it??_

The only person he noticed who wouldn’t look him in the eyes was the one 1st year student who always followed Kageyama around during practice with those dumb sparkles in his eyes. Hinata felt a little smug. 

“We aren’t dating” Kageyama announced 

Hinata couldn’t help the small stab of hurt that ran through him, and his smug smile quickly melted off his face. He didn't like how the 1st year quickly looked up at Kageyama in surprise. 

To be fair.. everyone looked at them in surprise. 

“Y-yeah.” Hinata agreed, “it’s just a rumor” the words felt wrong on his tongue. 

Tsukishima’s eyebrows rose.

_Huh?.._

“Okay, whatever you say! Even if it wasn’t, it’s okay as long as it doesn’t interfere with you two on the court, alright?” Ennoshita smiled as he finished buttoning up his shirt. “Enough standing around, guys, let’s get going huh??”

Everyone yelled their agreement, and pretty soon practice was underway despite Hinata feeling a little distracted. Him and Kageyama were syncing well together for their quick training, but Kageyama had a funny look on his face. Hinata didn’t hesitate to tell him his face was stupid, which of course Kageyama responded to by grabbing his hair. Hinata knew it was coming, and could’ve easily dodged it, but he let Kageyama’s fingers entwine in his mess of curls. 

Kageyama didn’t squeeze quite as hard as he normally did, and Hinata didn’t know what to make of that. 

.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata and Kageyama “dating” was soon old news at their school, as people moved on to the next new scandal within a week or so. 

By the time a month had passed, the other kids hardly even stared at them while they walked together in the hallways or ate lunch together (He was also very glad Kageyama still wanted to do those things with him).

Hinata had been completely shocked when Kageyama didn’t think people believing that they were dating was disgusting. He should’ve expected it he supposed, since Kageyama really didn’t care what people thought of him. Still, he was honestly more relieved than he should have been. 

Hinata saw Michi in the hallway a few times during that month, and always looked the other way.. pressing a little closer to Kageyama who had on his “I’ll hurt you” stare that Hinata was starting to not mind, as long as it wasn’t directed at him! One time, when Michi looked like she was about to talk to Hinata, Kageyama gripped his hand and entwined their fingers together, upgrading his stare to the “I’ll kill you” one. Neither boy let go, even after Michi had walked past them, and Hinata didn’t really mind.

It felt nice (like REALLy nice) holding Kageyama’s hand, but it caused his heartbeat to skyrocket and stomach to flip for some reason.

He quickly let go of his hand. 

.｡~☆~｡.

“Hey, Yachi?” Hinata called as they were cleaning up after their evening session. He ran over to her and helped her fold the net, sweat clinging to both of them from the humid air. August was coming to an end, which meant it would start cooling off soon. 

“Hmm?” 

“Can I come over later? I want to talk about something.”

~

Hinata always felt comfortable around Yachi. She was easy to talk to and was really smart too!! Hinata knew she was the one he wanted to discuss his recent crisis with.

They sat on Yachi’s floor as Hinata told her about how STUPID Kageyama was making him feel. Like all BWAHH and GWAH!!! He told her about how even though Kageyama was a rude jerk all the time, he had been weirdly not jerkish and actually kinda nice to Hinata recently!! He made sure to let her know how it made him feel all uwaaahh inside too. He told her about what Michi had done, and how Kageyama had stayed with him afterwards, and the way he couldn’t stop looking at Kageyama and wanting to spend time with Kageyama and maybe touch Kageyama GAHH why??? 

Hinata presses his palms into his eye sockets as he felt his brain starting to hurt from thinking so much. At least he had proof he had a brain then! He’d have to tell Kageyama that later. 

“Hinata..” Yachi began after he had finished speaking. He looked up at her. “Did you ever feel gwahhh inside with Michi?”

“No”

Yachi thought for a moment. “With Ami?”

“No..”

“Do you know what that gwahh feeling inside is?”

Hinata knew. He’d been forcing it deep down inside of him, but he knew. Admitting it felt like causing it to become true though!

“Hinata?”

“I think so..”

“You know, it’s okay.”

“But… he’s so mean and rude all the time!!”

“Is he actually, though?”

He wasn’t. 

“But.. he’s weird and loves milk too much!!

Yachi just raised her eyebrows 

“But….” Hinata paused and released a shaky breath “but we’re both boys”

He felt his eyes fill with tears of frustration, and he wrapped his arms around his knees. 

“So?”

 _“_ Is that not weird?” Hinata sniffed. 

“No.” Yachi looked away, but Hinata didn’t miss the sad expression that crossed her face. 

“What is it?” Hinata asked gently

Yachi looked down to the floor as she mumbled. “I like girls, Hinata.”

_Oh..OH.._

_“_ Is that weird?” She looked up at him then, and Hinata’s heart hurt as he realized there were tears in her eyes, too. 

“No. It isn’t”

Yachi nodded her head as she once again dropped her gaze downward. “I haven’t talked to anyone about this. It’s just.. burning inside of me, but I don’t know who I can tell.”

“I’m here, Yachi.” Hinata took her hand. “You can tell me anything!” He smiled at her even though his own eyes were stinging. 

A tear escaped the corner of her eye as she laughed a little, squeezing his hand. 

“It’s just so frustrating, being in love with someone, and you know they’ll never love you back. I can’t do anything.”

Hinata waited for her to continue, squeezing her hand right back in encouragement. 

“I’m in love with Kiyoko, Hinata.” She whispered, tears beginning to stream down her face. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. 

“It hurts so much. I can’t even tell her, because I’m scared she’ll think I’m gross or weird and things will be different between us. I know she doesn’t like me back, and it hurts so much.” Yachis' voice was trembling. “She likes boys. I think she might actually have started dating someone, and I have to smile and pretend to be happy for her. Which I am happy in a way! I want her to be happy no matter what… but it hurts.” 

“I’m so sorry, Yachi” Hinata was also crying now alongside her. 

“It’s okay.. I’ll be okay. I can’t change it.”

“Do you see her very much these days?”

“A little bit. I miss her a lot, and every time we hang out, I see her smile or make her laugh and I just fall in love all over again. My chest and stomach feel all gwahhh and those happy feelings make it hurt even more.” 

Hinata understood. All those times he felt weird inside when Kageyama smiled or gave him one of his rare laughs… he had shoved those feelings aside but deep down.. he knew. He knew. God, he’d been so stupid. Even though Kageyama was a boy.. He liked him.

His brain took a second to process.

He. Liked. Kageyama!!!!

Absolutely wack. 

He’d deal with that later, for now he knew Yachi needed him! 

He moved closer to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head against his and sniffled, wiping away her tears. 

“I’m such a mess.” She let out a shaky laugh and waved her hands in front of her face. “I haven’t told anyone this.”

“I’ll trade you one of my secrets!! I uhh… I really like Kageyama!” 

“Hinata, that isn’t a secret.”

“It was to me!!”

Yachi laughed for real this time, and the sound sent a wave of relief through Hinata. She lifted her head and smiled at him as she sniffled. She slowly brought her hand up to his face and wiped away his tears. He squeezed her shoulders tighter. 

“That really helped to tell someone. I feel all wahhh inside now. Thank you for listening!! I know you came here to talk about what’s on your mind, I’m so sorry!” 

“No, no!! I’m super happy to have been able to listen, and thank you for telling me. I figured out what’s been bothering me anyways, so thank you for that.”

Yachi nodded at him and wiped away her tears. 

“I know I’ll get over Kiyoko eventually! I kind of don’t have a choice.” 

“I know you’re gonna find someone awesome, Yachi! A super cute girl that makes you feel gwahhh, and I’m gonna be in your wedding!!!” Hinata beamed at her. 

She laughed “only if I can be in yours and Kageyama’s”

Hinata’s smile faltered “don’t get your hopes up. That dummy only has volleyball on his brain. Even if he did somehow like boys, there’s no way he’d be distracted with something-“ he lowered his voice and smoothed down his hair in his Kageyama impersonation “-as stupid and meaningless as romance. Pfft.” 

Yachi smiled a little sadly “I think you have a better chance than I do with Kiyoko. I’ve seen him stare at your butt during practice.”

“WHAT!!??!”

“Mhhmmmm” Yachi smiled one of her rare evil smiles.

Whatever she was thinking, Hinata wasn’t sure he was ready to hear it. 

“You know…” she said, smirking “I think I have an idea.”

Hinata leaned in close as she whispered two little words into his ear. He felt his cheeks flare red as his mouth parted in shock.   
  


“HAAAHHh???”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m a simp for Hinata and Yachi’s friendship!!>>>
> 
> This chapter is uhh.. really personal to me because everything Yachi was saying hits real close (･_･ I wrote this chapter after FaceTiming my best friend who I’m uhhhh in love with and she’s straight and IT HURTS a lot and like.. three people know that I like girls (and now however many thousands of people that will read this) ... so I get it, Yachi T^T
> 
> Gah okay enough way too personal stuff about me!! 
> 
> Come talk about anything with me on IG @sundance10_art or @kcfanart
> 
> I love you guys and your comments make me the happiest person ever :)


	14. Operation: Seduce Kageyama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this.. a date.. ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> A heads up about this chapter: there are a couple POV changes, but they’re all marked accordingly so it shouldn’t be too confusing! They just needed to happen(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
> 
> (they actually happened by accident at first but shhhh) 
> 
> Also the chapter starts immediately where the last one left off! 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Seduce him.” Yachi whispered into his ear.

“HAAAHHh?!” Hinata felt all his blood rush to his face. “W-wh-aWhat? Seduce??” He fell backwards on Yachi’s floor, clutching his ears. 

She laughed at his embarrassment, and Hinata considered taking back every nice thing he ever thought about Yachi.

“Just think about it though! Be all-“ she wiggled her eyebrows “-But subtly! If he doesn’t like romance stuff he probably won’t even notice, he is a little slow when it comes to social things-“

Hinata laughed and covered his mouth with his hand. 

“-and if he does like you, which I’m pretty sure he does, then he won’t be able to resist kissing you or something!! It’s perfect!!”

Hinata had to admit she had a point. Just one problem though.. “I don’t know how to be all-“ He wiggled his eyebrows. 

“That’s okay! I’ll help you, and we’ll start small!”

  
.｡~☆~｡.

They decided to put their plan fully into action the next weekend. 

“Kageyamaaaaaa!” Hinata ran up to his setter after practice and brushed his hand against Kagayama’s arm to get his attention (in case the yelling didn’t). 

“What do you want, runt?” Kageyama jerked his arm away. 

Step one, Yachi had told him: ‘be more intentional with small, soft touches.’  
The only problem was it seemed to be having the opposite effect on Hinata.. it made _him_ want more instead of making Kageyama want more! 

He shook the thought out of his mind as he yelled, “I got tickets to that V-league game happening in Sendai this weekend!!!”

“What!?” Kageyama’s mouth gaped open and his eyes sparkled.

“Yeah!! I know we were planning on watching it on tv, but isn’t this so much better?!” Hinata couldn’t help but bounce up and down in excitement. 

Step two was to make more eye contact, and as he looked into Kageyama’s eyes, he could tell that he was excited too. (Even if he did yell at Hinata to calm down). He had that dumb smile on his face that made Hinata’s insides feel all gwahhh, and now that he actually knew what those feelings were, he didn’t have to push them away! He felt a huge smile on his own face and let the warm feeling in his chest grow, as he continued to bounce around the taller boy. 

He turned around and winked at Yachi as she shot him a thumbs up. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

Step three. 

“WHAAAAaa YACHI!! I-I can’t wear this!!” Hinata yelled as he threw the offending outfit back into Yachi’s lap. 

“But Hinata! Our plan!” Yachi threw it back into his lap and clapped him on the shoulder, her eyes filled with determination. 

He was supposed to meet Kageyama in about an hour, and Yachi had invited him over to help him get ready. 

Hinata was beginning to regret that decision. “You really think this will work?”

“I know it will!!” 

Hinata sighed in defeat as he walked to the bathroom to change, dragging his feet the whole way. 

He pulled on the clothes that Yachi gave him and winced at the unfamiliar tightness. He almost didn’t want to turn around and look in the mirror, but his own curiosity betrayed him. 

_Aw heck.._

_Wait…_

_I look kinda good???!_

Hinata gave a few test spins as his gaze traveled up his body. He was borrowing a pair of Yachi’s high waisted athletic leggings and one of her white shirts. 

He had to admit… the way the leggings clung to his thighs _was_ a little distracting. 

They didn’t leave much to the imagination, and he was very thankful that he was wearing his compression shorts underneath. He turned around and couldn’t help but stare with his mouth hanging open. Hinata had never given much thought to his own body.. but this wasn’t too bad!!

He stretched his arms up above his head and blushed to see how the shirt crawled up, showing his belly button peaking out just above the leggings. He quickly dropped his arms as he felt his cheeks heat up. 

His blush remained as he shyly entered Yachi’s room, fidgeting with the edge of the shirt wondering where the rest of it had gone. 

Yachi took one look at him and was instantly on her feet with her mouth open. 

“WHAAaaa I was right!!!! Kageyama’s going to die!! YAYYY!” 

She held out her hands for a high-five and Hinata found a smile on his own face as he returned it. 

“Now try arching your back just a little bit.. Perfect! And shift your weight like this. Great! Now just oneee more thing!” She pulled out a small plastic tube from her pocket. “Just a littttllleeee bit of this!”

“Gah what is it???” Hinata whipped his hands out defensively in front of him, very much afraid of what the small object was about to do. 

“Mascara!”

“Huh.. isn’t that some kinda dance?”

“Just trust me okay? I’ll only put a tiny bit on so it won’t even be noticeable, but it will make your eyes stand out!!” 

Hinata decided his life was already in Yachi’s hands.. so why not? What did he have to lose? 

He hoped to himself that this would pay off as he waved goodbye to an excited Yachi yelling at him to text her every detail. 

With his heart already hammering in his chest, he quickly walked to where they had agreed to meet. 

—-

**KAGEYAMAS POV:**

—-

Kageyama was walking towards the park the two boys had agreed to meet at, when he turned the corner and caught sight of Hinata in front of him-

_Oh god-_

Was his heart even beating? He didn’t know. Was he breathing? No idea.

Hinata looked good. Like, really good. Normally he just wore athletic shorts and dumb kids shirts which was endearing in a way..

but today.. _._

Kageyama’s feet decided they weren’t going to do what they were supposed to do as they tripped over each other and he was falling and _oh no_ he would never hear the end of this. But thankfully (or not so thankfully?) Hinata’s fast reflexes didn’t disappoint, and his strong hands were quickly on Kageyama’s biceps, keeping him upright. 

_Oh god.. oh shit.._

They were close. Too close. Hinata’s dancing eyes were inches away from his face, even more vibrant than normal, and he could almost count the freckles on his pink dusted cheeks. Kageyama glanced down at his lips.

 _Fuck.._ Kageyama couldn’t look away, and started leaning in before he knew what he was doing. 

“BWAHAHA!!! I’m gonna start calling you clumsy-yama!!!!”

And just like that.. the moment burst, and Kageyema quickly realized what he had been about to do as he jerked away.

“W-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, DUMBASS??”

“You almost face planted!!!” Hinata doubled over laughing. 

“I DID NOT!!”

Hinata just laughed even harder so Kageyama jabbed him in the side and mumbled a “I didn’t! Now shut up and let’s go, moron.”

Hinata looked up at him with dancing eyes that were filled with tears from laughing so hard.

_Asshole._

Kageyama just grabbed his hand to get him to finally move… which didn’t explain why he kept holding on after they were walking, but he wasn’t about to acknowledge that. Hinata didn’t seem to mind as he swung their hands between them and told Kageyama way too many details about some weird commercial he had seen earlier. 

Kageyama watched him out of the corner of his eye, but he was having a hard time focusing on the smaller boy's words. His eyes kept drifting down to the sliver of skin that appeared between Hinata’s leggings and shirt every time he swung his arm. 

His gaze drifted lower, and his heart settled somewhere in his throat when he noticed how he could see every muscle in Hinata’s legs contract as he moved. 

_Fuck…_

Kageyama was very thankful that Hinata wasn’t looking at him, because he couldn’t hide the blush he knew was on his cheeks, nor could he look away. 

This was going to be a long day. 

—-

**HINATA'S POV:**

—-

  
  
  


It felt really nice holding Kageyama’s hand. Why hadn’t they done this earlier?? It made Hinata feel all happy and gwahhhh!! 

So far he wasn’t sure how his plan to seduce Kageyama was working which was frustrating because normally he was pretty good at reading his setter. Hinata prided himself in being able to recognize one of his actual frowns from one that meant his head was empty or he was thinking about food. He also knew when the brightness in his blue eyes meant he was really excited about something, and how his mouth sometimes curls up in a small smile when he thinks no one is looking. 

But today?? He had no idea what the heck Kageyama was thinking. It was like there was a mask over his face, and Hinata didn’t know what to make of that. Was he upset about something? 

No.. this wasn’t his upset face.. 

While Hinata wracked his little brain as he tried to figure out what the taller boy was thinking, he rambled on and on. His mouth was moving, but he had no idea what words were coming out.

“Dumbass-“ Kageyama interrupted. “There’s no way chocolate milk comes from brown cows.The brown ones are the boys and the black and white ones are the girls, idiot”

“But-“

“And no, strawberry milk doesn’t come from pink cows either!!” Kageyama rolled his eyes, ruffled Hinata’s hair and then quickly pushed him away.. by his face. 

“WHAAa rude clumsy-yamaaa!”

“Don’t call me that!!” Kageyama once again shoved him away using his shoulder this time, but Hinata didn’t go far. 

Their hands were still clasped together after all.

  
~  
  


The train was about as busy as Hinata expected, what with it being Saturday afternoon and all, but that was alllll part of Yachi’s plan. 

Hinata scooted closer to Kageyama and held onto his arm instead of the handrails above him. Sure, he was tall enough to reach them.. but this was so much more convenient! He smiled up at Kageyama and laughed as he rolled his eyes and called Hinata “too short for daily life” 

Hinata couldn’t help but steal a few extra seconds looking up at him. Kageyama’s eyebrows were furrowed together, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Despite him looking slightly constipated.. he was actually… kinda pretty? 

_Bwuh.._

Hinata couldn’t help but steal a few more seconds.

As he was busy admiring how nicely Kageyama’s long eyelashes brushed against his cheekbones when he blinked, and how deep of a blue his eyes actually were, he was rudely interrupted by said eyes looking down at him.

“You wanna start a fight, idiot? Why’re you looking at me like that.”

_Oh crap._

“Just imagining how you’re gonna get wrinkles super early because you frown so much!!”

_Nice save. Wait.. I’m supposed to flirt, dang it!_

“Well you’re gonna get even more wrinkles because you smile so much” Kageyama retorted. 

“Guess we’re both gonna be all wrinkly then!!” Hinata stuck his tongue out and laughed as Kageyama’s frown deepened. 

_How does someone even flirt anyways?  
  
_

_~  
  
_

The volleyball match was just as exciting as Hinata thought it would be. 

To be honest, he completely forgot about his plan to seduce Kageyama, and completely lost himself in the pulsing crowd around the two of them. He fed off the energy in the gym and screamed so much that his throat ended up hurting. 

As they were walking together afterwards, Hinata had to go over every cool detail the players did and couldn’t contain all the energy pent up inside of him as he jumped up and down. 

“Gahhh that was so good!! And that one player was all like pwaaaaa fwoosshhhh!! They said he played beach volleyball overseas! Isn’t that so cool?? He was so good at everything.. I wonder if I should try that!!” 

Kageyama looked at him quickly with his eyes wide. Hinata looked back at him, distracted once again by those _stupid_ eyelashes that somehow looked even better now that it was getting dark and almost walked right into a street lamp. 

Kageyama grabbed his hand at the last moment and pulled him away from most definitely dying. Hinata gripped his hand tightly, willing him to not let go as he eloquently yelled “gahh!!” 

“Now who’s the clumsy one?” Kageyama was wearing his evil smirk, and Hinata felt his mouth fly open in outrage. 

“It’s still definitely you because you were clumsy first so hah!!” Hinata raised his chin and straightened his shoulders as he swung their hands between them.. 

wait.. Kageyama hadn’t let go?

 _Nice_ _._

Hinata smiled as he looked around at all the people walking on the busy street. The days were slowly moving into September, and the air was beginning to cool off as the sun went down. He tried to suppress a small shiver that went through his body, and he regretted the fact that his shirt was so stinkin’ small.

Kageyama, who was normally so spaced out off the court, somehow noticed the small shiver as he looked down at Hinata and laughed a little. 

Hinata maybe hoped he’d do something like they do in the movies and wrap his arm around him or something- 

“-you absolute dumbass-“

Well...He could dream.

“-Why didn’t you bring a jacket or something??”

“Meanie-yama! It was warm earlier..” he pouted his lower lip and looked up at Kageyama through his eyelashes, just like Yachi told him to. 

“Idiot. Here-“ Kageyama let go of his hand to open his bag. “I brought this for myself if it got cold, but I’m still warm so you can wear it I guess. If I get cold though, I get it back okay??” 

“Whaaaa maybe you’re not such a jerk after all, thank you!!” Hinata smiled at him as he pulled Kageyama’s jacket on, zipping it up and grabbing Kageyama’s hand again. Smirking as Kageyama didn’t pull away. 

Kageyama pulled him under the awning of a nearby takoyaki stand. The warm light and delicious smells wafted over the two of them, and Hinata’s mouth began to water. Kageyama didn’t let go of his hand as he ordered for them, knowing exactly what Hinata’s favorite was. 

As they waited, Hinata couldn't help but lean close against Kageyama’s side. When Kageyama gave him a funny look, he just told him it was cold and wiggled even closer. 

Kageyam frowned as he looked away towards the people walking on the sidewalk, and his eyes quickly widened. Hinata followed his gaze to see-

“GAH!! Turnip-head!!!” 

At the sound of Hinata's outburst, Kindaichi's head whipped around, and his eyes widened as he recognized the two boys. 

“You-!!” He pulled Kunimi who was walking with him to a stop and for a few seconds no one said anything. 

“What-“ Kindaichi‘s eyes flicked down to their joined hands and traced over Hinata’s form, eyes widening even further as he noticed Hinata had to have been wearing Kageyama’s jacket. 

“You two are dating???”

Hinata didn’t know what to say, so he decided to wait and let Kageyama deny it. 

Silence

_Huh??? Maybe this is just really uncomfortable for Kageyama, and he’s waiting for me to say something._

He glanced up at his setter, but he was looking away with his lips pressed together.

_Yeah he’s probably all grossed out, and I should’ve definitely said something only now too much time has passed and this is just awkward!!!_

“We aren’t dating!!!” Hinata yelled, maybe a little too loud. He dropped Kageyama’s hand and tried to ignore how cold his own hand felt alone. 

“Y-yeah” Kageyama agreed, his voice tight. 

Kindaichi and Kunimi both raised the eyebrows. 

“Uh huh….” Kunimi didn’t sound convinced. “Well.. We hope you’ve been well and all that, but we’re trying to get to the train before it leaves in a few minutes.”

Kindaichi was still just staring at the two of them with his mouth open. Kunimi grabbed the edge of his jacket and pulled him along, waving goodbye.

Hinata returned the wave, and watched the two boys quickly meld into the crowd. 

_That was so awkward!!_

“Your takoyaki is ready!” The man behind the counter called, unaware of the internal crisis Hinata was having. 

The takoyaki was delicious though.   
  


~  
  


Kageyama didn’t hold his hand on the way to the train station, which Hinata wasn’t surprised about. Talking to Kindaichi and Kunimi must have been an uncomfortable situation for him, even if he didn’t normally care what others thought. To be fair, so many people already thought they were dating, maybe this wasn’t any different? Hinata wasn’t sure, but Kageyama was acting strange nonetheless. 

The train was still pretty crowded, so once again he squished up close against Kageyama and tried to get back on track with the plan. 

They stood in silence, and Hinata enjoyed watching the scenery pass by. However, every jolt of the train car had his backside brushing up against Kageyama’s thigh and honestly.. it was distracting to say the least. His stomach felt all bwaahhh like it did right before a game and his heart was mercilessly beating away. His stomach clenched as the train hit yet another bump. The bwaahhh feeling in his stomach slowly drifted lower, and he knew his cheeks must have been bright red. 

Thankfully, the train slowly emptied out with each stop, and Hinata took a step away. He knew that was going against the plan, but he felt too weird inside to be up against Kageyama like that. He was very thankful that Kageyama’s jacket was so long on him and covered everything that was happening down there, but he needed to get a grip.

  
~  
  


Hinata managed to calm himself down a little as they were walking to Kageyama’s house. It seemed like the right thing to do to walk him home. His mom had said something about always doing that after a date. Not that this was a date... 

He glanced up at the taller boy who had been so quiet during their walk, and saw that his hands were shoved into his pockets, and he was consciously keeping about a foot of space between them. 

Hinata needed to break the silence.

“Whaaa that was so fun!!! Did you have fun, Yamayama-kun? Hinata bounced on his toes.

“Yeah”

_Oh he must have really enjoyed it!!_

“Those v-league players are something else!! It’s all so fast and bwaahhh!!!” 

“Yeah.” Kageyama said again. “I want to do that.”

“Be all fast?? You already are!” Hinata imitated his super fast set, making sure to frown as hard as he could to make sure Kageyama knew he was imitating him.

“Play in the v-league, I mean.” 

“Oh! I bet you’ll get scouted once we’re out of high school!!”

_He probably will.. that perfect jerk._

“Yeah.”

“Pfft. You’re so modest.” Hinata laughed into his hand as he peeked up at Kageyama, batting his eyelashes justttt a little bit.

Kageyama pursed his lips and quickly looked away. 

The movement drew Hinata’s eyes to his lips, and he found himself kinda maybe wishing it had been an actual date that day. If it was, he’d maybe be able to kiss Kageyama goodnight. He tore his gaze away from his mouth. 

_Uwahh?? What am I thinking??_

The thought had sprung into Hinata’s mind so fast, he hadn’t been prepared. He glanced down once again at Kageyama’s lips and found himself licking his own. 

_Do I really want to kiss him?_

Hinata kept looking at his lips. 

_Aw heck yeah I do._

They reached Kageyama’s door, and Hinata was forced to look away from his annoyingly perfect mouth as Kageyama looked down at him. 

“Tch your face is going to stick that way, dumbass!” Kageyama jumped on the opportunity to finally say it to him, and Hinata punched him in the stomach in revenge. 

Kageyama doubled over while he laughed, clutching the area where Hinata had punched him, and the sound made something deep inside Hinata’s chest unravel. He found himself smiling too. 

  
~  
  


Hinata traveled home that night feeling cozy and warm thanks to the jacket Kageyama insisted he keep wearing.

(“You’ll catch a cold and die, dumbass!” 

“People don’t actually catch colds from being cold, idiot!” 

“But why are they called ‘colds’ then, huh??”

“....”) 

He knew he’d have to fill Yachi in on how the day went when he got home, but first he had some thinking to do. So many thoughts were bouncing around in his mind it was driving him crazy!!

Was he really doing the right thing by trying to seduce Kageyama? What if it wasn’t? What if it just made things weird between them? Would he be okay only being Kageyama’s friend, and not anything more? 

Hinata pedaled his bike faster. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pfftt Yachi’s plan almost worked within the first 5 seconds, but Hinata just couldn’t resist teasing Kags (≧∀≦)
> 
> This is only the first attempt of Hinata seducing Kageyama, and I wanted to keep it pretty light and innocent as they’re both so young and still figuring things out!
> 
> Small spoiler for the fic: Later when they’re older there will be a chapter (28?) titled Operation: Seduce Kageyama pt. 2, and it will be INTENSE!(｀∇´) Hinata will actually know what he’s doing, and I feel so bad for Kageyama’s poor little heart. 
> 
> Anyways.. were Kindaichi and Kunimi on a date? Perhaps... ;) Did they immediately text their Aobajohsai group chat about kagehina? Perhaps... ;) 
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated, and I’d love to talk more with you guys!! My IG is @sundance10_art or @kcfanart
> 
> ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆


	15. Operation: Stop Thinking About Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama pines more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured y’all deserved some smut and fluff ;)
> 
> (okay maybe there’s a little angst too if you squint but shhhhh)

Kageyama closed his bedroom door behind him and leaned against it, letting out a deep breath as he ran his hands over his warm face.

His clothes felt too restricting and rubbed against him in a way that caused his heart to beat irregularly in his chest. The hardness in his pants wasn’t going away, or even fading for that matter, and he knew he was going to have to do something about it. A run wasn’t going to fix it this time. He had been semi-hard off and on all day and was too worked up to just mentally will it away. He’d already tried.. many times. 

He quietly locked his door and made his way to his bed, peeling off his clothes as he went, until he was wearing just his boxers. He laid down on his soft sheets and after a short moment of debate, began to gently palm himself as he scrunched his eyes closed. Just the light pressure had his stomach tensing, and he had to pause briefly before he continued. 

Those damn leggings.

He’d always known that Hinata had incredible thighs (and an incredible ass...) but the way those leggings hugged every curve seemed to rub that fact into Kageyama’s face. 

_That little jerk._

He hissed as he remembered the way Hinata’s legs looked as he walked, his hips swaying gently, and couldn’t help but imagine what they’d look like wrapped around his own waist. 

He slipped his hands into his boxers, where he began stroking himself in earnest and couldn’t help the groan that escaped his mouth at the feeling. All day, every brush of his pants against his dick had put him on edge, and he could feel the tension built up taut inside of him. 

When Hinata had pressed against him in the crowded train, he had had no idea how thin Kageyama’s restraint had been. His mind had completely blanked, and he couldn’t think about anything other than rutting up against the smaller boy. It had taken all his effort to keep his hips still. 

Kageyama imagined what he could’ve done had they been the only ones in that train car and if Hinata wanted him as much as he wanted Hinata. 

He would’ve pushed Hinata’s chest up against the window, grabbing his hips while mouthing along the back of his neck. The runt would probably already be a moaning mess, wouldn’t he? 

_That dumbass is always so loud, I bet he would be during this too_.

Kageyama imagined the sounds he would make. His pace quickened as he imagined how filthy his name would sound on Hinata’s lips. He would _scream_ wouldn’t he? 

Kageyama's hips arched up off the bed at the thought, and his toes curled in pleasure. 

He imagined the freckled bit of skin that peeked out between Hinata's leggings and shirt that had driven him insane all day, and he felt himself grow impossibly harder. 

A tugging sensation started to build in his gut, and he knew he was getting close. He picked up the pace of his strokes and had to bite his lip to keep from moaning. He wasn’t sure if his mom was home or not, and he’d be _mortified_ if she heard anything. 

His thoughts quickly returned to a certain orange haired boy, only now in his mind, Hinata had pulled down those stupid leggings, revealing the perfect curve of his ass. He bent over, placed his hands on the wall and looked back at Kageyama, his mouth open and eyes begging. A soft blush dusted his freckled cheeks and nose. 

“Please.. Kageyama”

He couldn’t help the guttural sound that escaped his lips as he spilled all over his hands and stomach. Waves of pleasure wracked his body, and he closed his eyes while stars danced in his vision. 

Slowly, he came down off his high as he lay gasping on his bed, his whole body numb and absolutely spent. 

Kageyama looked down at his own mess and groaned. He couldn’t help the guilt that slowly pushed its way to the front of his mind. 

He didn’t like this part of it.. The coming back to reality. 

All he could think about was how disgusted Hinata would be if he knew that his best friend just jerked off to thoughts about him. The disapproving look on his small face; his eyes not sparkling like they should be. 

Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the mental image. On shaky legs, he got up to clean himself off, and as he wiped away the mess, he mentally imagined wiping away everything he had just done. Clearing it from his mind as if it had never happened. His chest hurt a little bit, but he knew he couldn’t indulge too deeply in these fantasies, especially with Hinata being as touchy as he was. There was only so much Kageyama could take before he snapped. 

He had come so close to giving in earlier that day when he first saw Hinata. He had been _dangerously_ close to kissing him. His body had responded before his mind could even catch up, and that couldn’t happen again. 

He had more control than that. It wouldn’t happen again. 

Kageyama threw his clothes into the hamper with a little more force than necessary, scowling as he ignored the way his eyes stung. 

.｡~☆~｡.

Kageyama did his best to avoid Hinata at practice the next morning (without actually avoiding him).. but Hinata made it hard by being especially clingy. 

“Yamaaa toss to meeeee.” Hinata whined as he hung from Kageyama’s neck, holding on even as Kageyama shoved his face away. 

He’ll admit it.. he had been tossing to Hinata less that day, but he was still too worked up to be around the smaller boy. Every flash of skin Hinata showed as he jumped ripped the breath out of Kageyama’s lungs and made his face heat up. Even now, the feeling of Hinata’s arms wrapped around his neck caused his mind to go straight to dangerous places for a public area.

All his senses were too heightened and everything was overwhelming and _oh god_ he could just lean down and- 

“DUMBASS GET OFF OF ME.” he pushed Hinata away with more force and was successful this time in dislodging him. “You fucking barnacle!!”

“HUH?? I don’t know what that is but that sounds mean! You’re a barnacle!!” Hinata pouted his lips and crossed his arms. Kageyama’s chest tightened at the sight, and he quickly turned away, picking up a discarded volleyball from the floor. 

“Kageyama-senpai!” One of the first years called. “Can you help me with something?” 

“Sure” he agreed with one last look back at Hinata. 

He was shocked to see a glimmer of something inside the small spiker’s eyes that looked like hurt, and was about to yell “just kidding, I’m busy!” and figure out what was going on.. but Hinata quickly turned away and began serve training on his own. 

_I’ll ask later.  
  
_

_~_   
  


Later ended up being during lunch, as they were sitting under the tree they normally ate at together.

Hinata was quiet as he ate his onigiri which as everyone who knows Hinata knows.. _isn’t normal._

“Be loud again, dumbass” Kageyama mumbled in arguably not the most subtle way to bring it up, but he didn’t know what else to say!

“HAH??” Hinata looked at him in shock. “I never thought I’d hear you say that!!” 

“Well you won’t hear it again... but it’s weird. What’s going on? Normally you’re rambling on about some dream you had and annoying me, but now you’re just being quiet.” Kageyama frowned at him and couldn’t resist reaching out to squeeze Hinata’s face. It was the first time all day he’d willingly touched him, and Hinata’s face lit up a little bit. 

“I did have a really weird one last night!!”

“Then spill it, idiot” Kageyama resumed eating as he waited for Hinata to speak. 

Hinata took a bite of his lunch and started talking about his dream where some giant alien had a tea party with him and Natsu, then he taught it how to play volleyball and it ended up beating Karasuno all by itself and he woke up crying. He punctuated every sentence with _way_ too many hand movements, and had a mouthful of food the whole time he was talking. 

_Gross_. 

Kageyama couldn’t help the involuntary smile he felt grow on his lips as he watched the smaller boy. 

Hinata stopped talking and looked at him with wide eyes. 

“What do you think you’re looking at? I’ll kick your ass” 

Hinata just continued staring at him. “Kageyama.. sometimes your face isn’t actually too bad.. whenever you aren’t messing it up.” 

“D-dumbass was that an insult or a compliment??” 

Hinata nodded and finally tore his gaze away. He pouted a little bit and frowned. 

It was silent before Kageyama asked suddenly, “Why were you upset earlier?”. He’d been wondering about it all through lunch, and it just slipped out. 

“Me??? Upset??” Hinata laughed “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He took an extra big bite of his onigiri. His brown eyes held a tightness that Kagayama knew all too well, and his eyebrows rose in disbelief. He knew Hinata was lying but would answer if he just waited long enough.

He was right, it wasn’t long before he blurted out “it’s just.. well.. I didn’t sleep too well last night and you were being all grrrrr in practice and wouldn’t set to me but as soon as someone else asked you to do something you said yes, and you‘re just acting stupid, and I have a lot on my mind and I’m tired!!!” He frowned as he stuck out his lower lip (not that Kageyama was looking at his lips or anything..) 

“s-sorry for being grrr earlier. I uhh have a lot on my mind too.” He couldn’t help the small stutter. Apologizing didn’t come easily to him, but he did his best. 

Hinata looked up at him “You can tell me about it you know..” 

_Like hell I can._

Kageyama imagined what he’d say; _oh I came to the thought of fucking you against a wall last night, and every time you touch me or talk to me I think about how your body looked naked._ He shook the thought from his mind quickly and said gruffly. “You can sleep right now if you’re that tired.”

“Huh? But class…”

“I’ll wake you up in time, idiot.” 

Hinata’s smile flashed him like direct sunlight as beams of light filtering through the leaves above them hit his red hair just right and … _fuck_ he was _glowing_. Kageyama’s breath hitched in his chest and had to look away before he was blinded from the brightness. Still looking away, he couldn’t help but reach out and pull his spiker a little closer by his sleeve. 

He could tell Hinata still had that annoyingly bright smile as he laid down, placing his head on Kageyama’s lap.

Kageyama’s eyes jerked down in surprise to meet soft brown ones already studying his face. 

“Is this okay?”

He didn’t trust his words, so he just nodded briefly and flicked the smaller boy's forehead as he looked away again, ignoring Hinata’s giggle and the subsequent tightening in his chest at the sound. 

As he knew from their many sleepovers, Hinata normally fell asleep pretty quick, and it wasn’t long before his breaths evened out, a small smile still on his face.

In a moment of weakness, Kageyama reached out with his fingertip to trace the lingering smile, and was surprised at how soft Hinata’s lips were. He really needed to stop fixating on Hinata’s mouth.. but just this once, he allowed himself to stare and remember how it had felt pressed against his own. That moment felt like a lifetime ago, but he could still recall almost every detail of that day. 

He’d never wanted to kiss someone before, and watching others do it in movies always made him feel uncomfortable, but Hinata had changed so many things when he flew loudly into his life. He’d never wanted to do stupid things like hold hands, or cuddle, but he couldn’t stop thinking about doing those things (and more) with his small, loud best friend.

Kageyama gently traced a path along the side of his face, noting each freckle he came across. His heart threatened to stop beating as Hinata gently nuzzled into his touch. The rustling leaves around them seemed to laugh at him as he reached Hinata’s mop of orange hair and softly ran his fingers through it. 

He needed to stop. 

He couldn’t stop. 

Kageyama continued to play with Hinata’s hair until the bell rang and did his best to ignore how much his heart hurt. He wanted so much more than just this. 

But this was enough wasn’t it?.. they could be just friends. 

He could do that..right ? 

As he looked into Hinata’s eyes that blinked sleepily open to meet his own before flashing down to his lips, Kageyama wasn’t so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? :) 
> 
> I’ve waited awhile to include much smut because we stan healthy relationships that aren’t built primarily on sexual attraction!! Woo!! ٩( ᐛ )و 
> 
> Anyways poor Kags. He’s very gay (For Hinata) 
> 
> Come talk to me on IG @sundance10_art or @kcfanart I love you guys a lot and your comments/messages really do fuel me!! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)


	16. Operation: Stop (CRY)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata grinned as they raced to get their shoes on and ran side by side yelling at the top of their lungs the whole way, arms pumping at their sides and shoes thundering against the asphalt. 
> 
> It was moments like this that Hinata started to regret his decision to try and stop liking the taller boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to everyone I’m about to disappoint who had seen the preview on my IG story.. just remember.. it’ll happen fr eventually!! (´∀｀*) Love you guyss

“Yachi.. I really don’t think that Kageyama likes me.” Hinata told the blonde as they swung side by side on swings at a park by her house. 

“What??” Yachi gasped “Why do you think that?” 

“He’s just been acting all weird and stuff whenever I try and touch him.. like he hates it! And when people kiss in movies he gets super frowny, and I just really think all that stuff grosses him out! He looked all bwahh in a bad way when that turnip-head thought we were dating.”

“Hmm.. I’m not so sure-“

“-And!!” Hinata cut in before she could make another comment about Kageyama staring at his butt. “Even if he maybeee does like me a little bit, which he doesn’t!! I don’t think it’s fair to try and seduce him”

Yachi tilted her head, thinking. “What do you mean?” 

“After seeing that v-league game, I’ve been thinking about.. after highschool..” he stopped swinging and rubbed the back of his head nervously. 

Yachi nodded her head encouragingly. 

“I’m really wanting to train overseas!!!” He blurted out.

“WHAT” Her mouth parted in shock, and she immediately planted her feet on the ground. “YOU’RE GONNA DIE”

“I know!! But like.. it would be good!!”

“DYING?!” Yachi looked like she was about to fall off her swing. 

“No!! Just.. overseas stuff!! I’d learn so much and get so much better and kick that stupid ousamayama’s butt!” Hinata smiled just thinking about it. 

“I-I guess. So let me get this straight… you don’t want to date him because..” she paused 

“Because I’ll be _leaving_ ,” Hinata mumbled. “I still haven’t decided anything yet of course.. I just think I need to figure it out for a bit first, and it wouldn’t be fair to him ya know?”

Yachi wiped away a small tear. “That’s … that’s actually really mature of you Hinata”

“I try sometimes!!” 

Yachi laughed and continued to swing again as she asked “are you okay with that?”

Hinata thought back to the other day when he woke up with his head on Kageyama’s lap. Before he had opened his eyes, he felt his setter's hand in his hair, gentler than he’d ever felt it before. A warm feeling had burst inside his chest, and he was so cozy and content he hadn’t wanted to move. When he looked up, met eyes with Kageyama and saw the softness in them (and glanced down to see the way his lips were slightly parted).. it made him want to see that again and again and again! 

Was he okay with letting that go?

“I have to be okay with it! … At least for now. I’ll be back” He nodded in determination and smiled at Yachi even though he could tell it didn’t reach his eyes. 

She nodded back. He knew that she of all people understood, and they continued to swing side by side.  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

September passed by quickly as each day was filled to the brim with school (ew) and volleyball!! (Yay!!) Weekends however, were reserved for a certain tall, cranky setter. 

They normally spent Friday night after school at one of their homes to “work on homework”

They tried, they really did.. but the two boys normally lasted about 20 minutes before one of them started annoying the other for entertainment. 

It was one of those Friday nights that found them sprawled out on Kageyama’s floor, doing their best to figure out what they were supposed to be studying. 

“Gahhh Kageyama I’m so bored!!” 

“We just started, dumbass.”

“But I haven’t moved in like.. forever!!!”

“You’ve been sitting there literally 15 minutes.”

Kageyama wasn’t much better though. His fingers fidgeted with his pen like they did when he had too much pent up energy. It was subtle, but Hinata’s eyes immediately noticed it. 

“I bet I could beat you to that one store with the yummy ice cream!” Hinata challenged, already knowing what answer he was going to get. 

Kageyama’s eyes narrowed. “Loser buys.”

Hinata grinned as they raced to get their shoes on and ran side by side yelling at the top of their lungs the whole way, arms pumping at their sides and shoes thundering against the asphalt. 

It was moments like this that Hinata started to regret his decision to try and stop liking the taller boy.

Kageyama was screaming obscenities as he pushed Hinata to run faster and elation was rushing through his body like adrenalin.

Could he ever get tired of this? Never. He was addicted, and he knew it. 

He ended up winning and smiled at Kageyama as they panted open mouthed with their hands on their knees in front of the shop. The sun was setting and surrounded the two boys in a warm, orange glow. Kageyama’s throat glistened with sweat as he looked up at him through the fringe of his dark bangs. Hinata’s stomach tightened, and he had to rip his eyes away from Kageyama’s piercing blue ones before they could tell that he was outright staring. 

He’d been trying so hard to not be obvious the past few weeks and was trying even harder to ignore the feelings that were bubbling up inside of him. 

Kageyama didn’t have to ask which kind of ice cream Hinata wanted since they’ve gone to this small store together many times. The thought made him feel all fuzzy inside knowing that his setter was starting to pay attention to details off the court. 

_Maybe he does have a brain cell after all. Who knew?_

They walked back to Kageyama’s house again, some of their energy having been dispelled, and Hinata forced himself to not bump his arm against the taller boys every few steps like he normally does. His heart jumped up into his throat however, as Kageyama bumped into him instead. The simple brush of his arm was overwhelming, and Hinata had to yell “race you back!!!” To excuse his red cheeks. 

  
~  
  


They did do some homework after all, but decided to watch a movie to soothe their aching brains after what felt like hourssss of studying!! (It had been 40 minutes) 

It was just the two boys home as they curled up on Kageyama’s couch, and Hinata noticed once again how his house was always so quiet.

“Hey Kageyama.. when do I get to meet your sister?”

Kageyama choked on nothing and Hinata patted his back reassuringly, doing all he could to not tease him. 

“I don’t know, dumbass, she has her own place and even I don’t see her much.”

“Hmm.. well I want to meet her some day!!” Hinata smiled at him, but it soon faded as he saw the sad look in Kageyama’s eyes that normally appeared when they talked about his family. Hinata never pried, but he definitely noticed an absence of parents whenever he was over, and hadn’t once heard Kageyama say anything about his dad. 

He didn’t like seeing that look in his eyes, so he wiggled underneath Kageyama’s arm and laughed a little extra loud at whatever was happening in the movie. After a brief moment, Kageyama wrapped his arm around Hinata (who didn’t complain that he held him tighter than normal).

There wasn’t nearly enough action in the movie to keep Hinata’s full attention, and towards the end, his eyes began to grow heavy. He snuggled closer against Kageyama’s side and breathed in his comforting smell of summer rain that was beginning to be all too familiar.  
  


.｡~☆~｡.  
  


Hinata could tell it was the middle of the night before he even opened his eyes. A blanket was draped over them, and Hinata blushed as he realized it hadn’t been there before. Kageyama’s mom must be back from work. 

The two boys were still on the couch, but somehow they ended up laying down with Kageyama’s arm tucked snuggly around his waist. Hinata was used to waking up this way, and smiled a little as he prepared to fall back asleep, the warmth surrounding him a gentle and familiar comfort. Hinata enjoyed the feeling of his back pressed against Kageyama’s chest- 

wait.. 

that wasn’t the only thing he was pressed against. 

Something hard was poking his backside and Hinata’s eyes widened in shock. He pressed back against it to make sure.. 

Yup..Kageyama was hard. 

_Oh no.. why this?? Why now??_ Hinata bit his lip as he felt his face heat up.

_It’s okay. It’s just a boner. that’s all. You’ve gotten them before, this isn’t weird!! Nope, not weird!!_

He gently shifted his hips in an attempt to put space between them, and his heart jumped up into his throat as Kageyama hissed out a breath at the movement. 

Hinata froze as Kageyama’s nose nuzzled into the back of his neck, sending shivers of electricity down his spine where they coiled tightly in his lower stomach. 

In his sleep, Kageyama hips gently pressed forward, seeking friction. The hard curve of his hard-on pressed right against the cleft of Hinata’s ass, and the small breathy moan Kageyama made went straight to Hianatas dick. He held in his breath as he embarrassingly felt his shorts grow a little tighter. Kageyama gently rocked against him again, and more electricity traveled down his spine. 

_ohhh.. that actually felt really good.._

Hinata bit his lip as he gently pressed his hips back to meet Kageyama’s in curiosity. The whine that escaped the taller boy's lips had Hinata’s toes curling and stomach tightening. 

Kageyama continued rutting against Hinata and each time he moved, Hinata’s dick rubbed against his shorts. It felt so good he didn’t want it to end, but this was wrong.. wasn’t it? The sounds Kageyama was making were going right to Hinata’s head and making it hard to think about anything besides how to coax more of those beautiful noises from his setters lips. 

The taller boy shifted in his sleep and Hinata gasped as he felt long fingers grip his hip. Kageyama’s movements were starting to seem more coordinated, and he knew it might not be long before he woke up. 

Hinata bit his lip in frustration and slowly extricated his body from where it was pressed up against Kageyama. 

It was a harder feat than he expected, as his own body didn’t want to move from the incredible feeling of his setters dick against him. He really didn’t know it would feel that good. 

He managed to drop off over the side of the couch and came up kneeling on the floor. He couldn’t help his curiosity, and peeked at Kageyama’s face. His breath caught in his throat as he saw bright red cheeks and parted lips. Small but rapid breaths were escaping Kageyama’s lips that were glistening slightly in the moonlight streaming through the window. 

Now that Hinata wasn’t on the couch with him, his hips had stilled as if his sleeping body knew it wasn’t able to get friction and his eyebrows furrowed in what Hinata imagined was frustration. 

He giggled a little at the sight and reached out to smooth the lines that appeared between his eyebrows. His hand lingered for a brief second before he pulled it quickly away. 

He couldn’t help the tears of frustration that began to fill his eyes. He really hadn’t wanted to move away from Kageyama. Hinata was still painfully hard in his shorts, and he could feel the ghost of warm fingers along his hip bone. He wanted to see what would’ve happened if he had kept pushing his hips back against the taller boy. He had never heard Kageyama sound the way he did, and knew he was going to think about it for a _long_ time. 

He bit his lip as he pushed himself away from the couch, painfully tearing his eyes away from the sight of those dumb long eyelashes against heated skin and forced himself not to glance down at Kageyama’s shorts. From bathing together at various training camps, Hinata was _very_ aware of the fact that his setter was well above average in things beyond volleyball. It used to annoy him that there was yet another thing about Kageyama that’s perfect.. but he found himself not minding so much.. and maybe kind of liking it. 

He shook his head and slapped his palms against his cheeks to try and get his mind to stop thinking about Kageyama’s dick, but it was hard. 

In more than one way.. 

He glanced down at his own shorts and sighed as he saw the tent that wasn’t going away. With one final look back at the sleeping boy, he fumbled his way in the dark to the bathroom to take care of himself. 

He opted for getting it over quickly and did his best not to imagine Kageyama as he roughly ran his hand over himself, but the feeling of the dark haired boy's dick sliding against his ass was still too fresh in his mind. He had felt the hard outline of it, and wondered what it would feel like to have it inside of him. His gut clenched at the thought. He knew that Kageyama wasn’t messing with him when he told him that’s where it goes all those months ago. Since then, he’d tried it just with his fingers (to test if he was lying or not!!) and found that it actually felt pretty good after he got used to it. 

Tonight was not one of those times, however, as this was going to be a matter of finishing as fast as possible. 

He came over his hand with a muffled cry and pretended as best as he could that the tears slipping down his cheeks were from closing his eyes too tight.. yeah.. that’s all it was. 

He slowly walked back to the couch with his head hanging. It felt so wrong to have done that not only in Kageyama’s house, but after what had just happened between them. He would’ve been so grossed out if he would’ve woken up during it. 

Hinata knew that Kageyama getting a boner in his sleep didn’t mean that he necessarily liked that stuff.. it was just a normal dumb teenage thing that everyone got once in awhile. 

He wiped at his eyes and debated sleeping on the floor since he was sensitive all over, and just his clothes rubbing against him felt like too much. However, it was cold in the room so he tried his best to lay as far away from the taller boy as he could and attempted to focus on sleep. 

He must have been squishing his eyes too hard again, because he felt warmth slide down his flushed cheeks. He squished his eyes closed harder and breathed deeply through his nose. 

  
He could do this.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all got smut, but at what cost 
> 
> Tbh I was in a bit of a slump last chapter and part of this one... but I got through it and next chapter is my favorite so far!!! I can’t wait to post it on Wednesday (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)
> 
> Some of you wonderful people have been making art for this fic and it warms my heart!! If you haven’t seen them, I’ve been posting them on IG @sundance10_art along with my own art 
> 
> Thank you all for everything!! :)


	17. Operation: Stop Staring at His Ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is BIG gay
> 
> (And everyone notices)
> 
> (.. except Hinata apparently)

The cool autumn months passed by in a blur of color. In October, Karasuno managed to clinch their spot into the Spring Tournament, and Kageyama couldn’t be happier about that. 

The first snow came softly, and Kageyama found it a little more beautiful this year than he had any other year. 

Normally he hated snow, because it meant jogging was harder, and his room was too cold.

But this year..

He stared in awe at the fluffy flakes falling silently around him and glanced down at Hinata who was beside him, seeing awe reflected in his eyes as well. The cold air had turned his cheeks rosy, and snowflakes were caught in his eyelashes. 

Yeah.. maybe there was a reason he found the snow so beautiful this year.   
  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

Christmas also passed by in a blur, but he didn’t mind or even notice, as he’d never done much to celebrate it anyways.

It was more of a holiday for couples after all. 

Normally when he walked the tree lined streets, he didn’t care about all the couples holding hands around him and just ignored them. But this year he definitely felt a little extra lonely, and he wasn’t used to nor prepared for that. 

Hinata, the little dumbass that he was, was somehow even more stupid during the few days surrounding the holiday than normal, and Kageyama couldn’t help but wonder if he liked another girl again. If the scrub came to him for advice about asking her out, he was going to absolutely lose it. 

Months ago, when he and Hinata had bumped into Kindaichi and Kunimi, they had asked if they were dating. In that moment, he imagined saying “yeah we are, fuck off.” and knew that if he opened his mouth he would’ve said something equally as stupid, so he had let Hinata do the talking. Seeing him adamantly deny it, as if it was such a horrible concept, made Kageyama promise himself to _never_ let Hinata know how he felt. 

But damn did Hinata make that hard. 

He was sitting on Hinata’s floor as the smaller boy was dancing around re-enacting some crazy blow up Christmas decoration he had seen that moved. He was waving his arms around and his hoodie was so long that it covered his hands and flapped around with each exaggerated movement…

_That hoodie sure looks familiar ….._

“Oi- dumbass did you steal that!??”

Hinata froze while standing on one foot and wobbled around as his mouth opened in outrage at the accusation.

“What?? Of course not!! ….. umm.. steal what?” 

“That’s my hoodie idiot!!!” He knew his cheeks were bright red but he could maybe blame that on anger?

Hinata looked down briefly before nervously laughing, as he planted his other foot on the ground “I didn’t steal it.. you gave it to me.”

“You fucking- when??” 

“Umm, awhile ago… back when I broke up with Michi…” 

Kageyama sat there stunned with his mouth hanging open, and he was glad Hinata didn’t make fun of him for it.

_Oh.. well.. I guess it’s okay.. he doesn’t look too bad in it anyways.._

That was an understatement.

“Whatever. Just don’t let your gross little five year old hands get it all dirty.”

“Gah!! You’ve been calling me five for a whole year now, so I should at least be six!!” Hinata crossed his arms 

Kageygama didn’t answer. He was too busy looking at the way the hoodie slipped down and exposed one of Hinata’s collarbones. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata’s home was always so busy and full of warmth, that he found himself spending more and more time there. Natsu normally insisted that they play together, and she kind of scared him, but he just kept reminding himself she was basically a mini Hinata.

“Tobiooooo.” she whined, hanging on his arm. “Are you going to be here for New Years??” 

Kageyama briefly looked up and met eyes with her older brother who was laughing at his obvious discomfort.

_Jerk_

“Uhh.. no. My family has a big get together and I’d be fuc- uh, in big trouble if I missed it.”

Hinata was laughing at him even more now.

Kageyama glared at him to let him know he’d kick his ass. Even with a little girl hanging on his arm. 

“Whaaa that sounds awesome!!” Natsu exclaimed. “We don’t have a big celebration like that.” 

Kageyama glanced up at Hinata again with an idea already forming in his mind. 

  
~  
  


That night, as the two boys were finally alone in Hinata’s room and all ready for bed, Kageyama decided to just go for it. 

“Hinata come to my New Years party.”

It was meant to be asked as a question, but he panicked. In all honesty.. he was a little nervous. Hinata was his best friend and they did everything together, but having him meet his whole family seemed like _so much._ Would Hinata even want to?

“Whaaaa okay!! Yayyy!! party!!!!” He bounced up and down and Kageyama knew from experience that there was a large possibility of Hinata’s mom yelling down the hall to be quiet. 

_Of course that dumbass would want to come. Why was I even nervous?_

Kageyama breathed out a quick sigh of relief as he pulled back the blankets on Hinata’s bed, and the smaller boy turned on the space heater.

He was actually feeling a little excited about the party, even though he normally hated them. He hardly even knew his aunts and uncles who showed up, ate all the delicious food, asked him personal questions about his life, pinched his cheeks, and just all around made him want to take a volleyball to the face. But Hinata made anything fun, and he had wanted to meet his sister after all. 

They curled up much closer than two friends normally would under the warm covers on Hinata’s bed (it was cold, okay?) 

Despite the cold, Kageyama’s cheeks felt warm. Hinata was still wearing his hoodie, and he really couldn’t believe he didn’t notice it was missing sooner. He reached out and flipped the hood over Hinata’s face and laughed as the smaller boy yelled at him. 

He was glad that things felt normal between them, even if his heart did betray him by aching at the sight of Hinata in bed beside him. 

He’d work on that.. somehow. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

Hinata arrived at his house before the party started, because apparently Kageyama “couldn’t dress properly” and “needed help picking something out” because “athletic clothes aren’t appropriate for parties!!!” (They aren’t?) 

Kageyama wasn’t so sure about that one. 

He didn’t want to tell the smaller boy that that’s all Hinata normally wore anyways, and that he’s just as bad as Kageyama was. However, he found himself biting his tongue when Hinata came running into his room in a whirlwind of noise. 

“Gahh Kageyama there's people in your house!!!!” He was gasping for breath, and Kageyama couldn’t help his gaze from tracking down Hinata’s body. 

He wore a blue sweater over a white turtleneck tucked into a pair of brown pants, which shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but the way the pants were cut made something stir in Kageyama’s lower stomach. They hugged his thighs, and he knew that if Hinata turned around, he’d face a view that he needed to avoid at all costs with his family around. The belt he was wearing accentuated the fact that the smaller boy actually had a really nice waist, and Kageyama wanted to reach his hands out and-

He was torn back to reality when Hinata ripped open his closet door and started ruffling through his clothes. 

He jumped up “Dumbass! There’s this thing.. it’s called personal boundaries!!” 

“Huh what’s that?” Hinata smiled at him from over his shoulder. “I already met a lot of your family by the way!!”

_Huh??_

Hinata took his blank face as a response and continued rambling on about everyone he met downstairs and what he thought of them already. 

His words washed over Kageyama, and he was having a hard time processing everything Hinata was saying. Now that the smaller boy was turned away, Kageyama had a clear view of his ass and coherent thoughts weren’t happening in his brain. 

Hinata looked at him with his eyebrows raised, and Kageyama realized he must have asked a question.

“Huh?..”

Hinata laughed and rolled his eyes as he repeated “why hadn’t you introduced me to your sister already, she’s great! All bwaahh and mysterious and pretty!! Like you, only I bet she doesn’t look constipated when she sees small animals.” 

“You think I’m pretty?” 

Hinata’s cheeks flared red as he whipped back around to continue looking through Kageyama’s closet. 

_Does he really think so?_

Kageyama’s stomach felt like he had swallowed a flock of butterflies, and he knew he was smiling even though he was doing his best to keep a neutral expression. 

“Try this on!!” Hinata threw the clothes at Kageyama’s face, the belt buckle hitting him right in the eye, and he would’ve killed the runt if he wasn’t so busy trying to get his brain to function. 

Kageyama pulled off his clothes as he tried on the soft black sweater and a nice pair of grey pants while the smaller boy looked at the wall with red cheeks. 

He had to admit as he looked down at himself.. it wasn’t a bad choice. 

The sweater felt tight across his chest and arms, and he felt a small tug of pride in his gut as Hinata’s eyes seemed to drop down to those areas and linger. 

Maybe he was just imagining it though.

  
~  
  


Kageyama hated parties. 

_There’s too many people in my living room,_ he thought as his eyes scanned the faces of everyone there. Most were family, but there were also a few of his mom's co-workers in the mix. He sipped his water angrily as he noticed that Hinata was already somehow the center of attention. He watched from across the room as the small boy was swarmed with family members who seemed eager to meet him, and it was annoying how Hinata glowed with the attention. 

“You really need to stop staring at your boyfriend’s ass, aunt Yui is already disappointed in you for having one in the first place.” A feminine voice said by his shoulder. 

He turned quickly to see his sister smirking at him. 

“Wha- he’s not- I’m not- what.”

“You’ve always had a way with words.” 

“He’s not my boyfriend, Miwa!!” 

She laughed which only made Kageyama angrier. “He’s not..” he mumbled sullenly.

“Well you’re an idiot then, he should be. Look at him!!”

“What do you think I’ve been doing all night??” Kageyama’s eyes returned to Hinata who was now playing with one of his baby cousins. 

_He’s cute as hell._

“He sure is” his sister agreed and Kageyama realized he must have spoken that last thought out loud. 

_Damn it._

“I never thought anyone would ‘distract you from volleyball’” Miwa said thoughtfully

“Shut up.” He mumbled .. but then because he hadn’t seen her in so long figured he’d add “he’s on my volleyball team.” 

“What?? he is? But he’s so tiny..”

“Yeah. But he can really fly.” Kageyama knew he was wearing the grin that Hinata called-

“-Gah!! Your demon smile!!” Hinata shouted right next to him. Kageyama jumped in surprise and quickly reached out to grip his orange hair threateningly. 

“Ow ow ow!! Oh hi again, Miwa! Was he this mean to you growing up??” 

Kageyama let go of Hinata’s hair in pain as he felt his sister's hand grip his own hair.

“No, but where do you think he learned it from?” She laughed as she winked at the two boys and melded into the crowd to go terrorize some other poor family member. 

Hinata laughed and said something about the two of them being related. Kageyama’s heart threatened to stop beating as Hinata reached up to smooth down the hair that his sister had messed up. 

Why was Hinata so damn close. 

He watched as his spiker’s eyes traveled to the center of the room where a couple of his cousins were slowly dancing with the dates they had brought. 

_He better fucking not-_

“I bet you don’t know how to do that, Kageyama” 

_-He fucking did it_

“Of course I know how, dumbass!”

He didn’t.. but how hard could it be anyways?

“Yeah right. You probably suck.” Hinata smiled at him with that familiar competitive gleam in his eyes. 

“You probably suck more.” Kageyama knew the gleam was mirrored in his own eyes. 

“Wanna bet?” Hinata challenged. 

He couldn’t back down. “Loser has to do whatever the winner says.”

“You’re on!!” The smaller boy grabbed his hand and tugged him into the ring of people. 

_Oh shit._

Just Hinata’s hand wrapped around his own was almost too much.. Why did he agree to this?? He didn’t know what to do with his hands, and they hung limply at his sides for a second before Hinata grabbed one and placed it on his hip and grabbed the other in his own hand. He placed his other hand up on Kageyama’s shoulder, and the warmth of the smaller boy's body slowly seeped into his own.

_Oh fuck oh fuck._

“I think I’m winning so far, Bakageyama.” Hinata smirked up at him. 

Kageyeama had to win.

He didn’t know how he was supposed to do that, but he pulled Hinata closer against him and gently swayed them back and forth to the soft music. 

They had always moved well together on the court, and it turned out dancing wasn’t any different. He lost track of time as he gazed into Hinata’s soft brown eyes that looked like liquid gold when they caught the light just right. They were so close, he could almost count the freckles on his flushed cheeks. 

_This was a mistake. He’s too fucking close._

His eyes dipped down to glance at Hinata’s lips, and did he imagine the soft gasp the smaller boy took? 

He had to have been imagining it. 

Hinata slowly lowered his head until it was resting on Kageyama’s collarbone, and he completely forgot how to breathe. He flexed his fingers on Hinata’s hip and slowly moved his hand up his small waist and around to his back to hold him against his chest better. He felt strong muscles beneath Hinata’s sweater and had to bite his lip to keep from making any embarrassing noises. The redhead had always been a perfect combination of softness and strength. 

He couldn’t pull away or else he’d lose, but he was starting to panic about every place their bodies were touching. He closed his eyes and did his best to not think too hard (Which wasn’t normally too difficult for him). 

When it reached midnight, everyone around them cheered, but Kageyama hardly noticed 

“Happy New Years!” Hinata pulled back just to beam up at him. 

“Happy New Years, dumbass.” 

“That’s the first thing you call me this year?! Meanie-Yama!!!” 

“Hey! That’s the first thing you call me!?” 

Hinata laughed and returned his head to Kageyama’s shoulder where he could feel the smaller boy’s smile against him. 

He had no idea how long they stayed like that, but he knew it wasn’t nearly long enough when his mom tapped him on the shoulder and told him it was time to start saying goodbye to their guests. He ignored her knowing smile and his burning cheeks as he pulled himself away from Hinata (Which was only a little hard to do..).

The family members who had to travel were staying in guest rooms, but everyone else soon filed out and Kageyama was glad that the noise level finally dropped to bearable. 

He caught sight of Hinata yawning out of the corner of his eye and couldn’t blame him. It was way past either of their bedtimes, after all. 

“Lets go to bed, idiot.” 

Hinata nodded but hesitated, so Kageyama grabbed his hand to get him moving. He nodded to his family as they left, and ignored the suggestive eyebrow wiggles his sister threw their way. 

He knew how this looked..

He was dragging Hinata behind him to his room very quickly once the party ended after they had been practically glued together.. But in all honesty, he didn’t really care, and he didn’t want to stick around to experience the bombardment of questions that were sure to come his way now that his family wasn’t busy. 

Just as he was about to close the bedroom door behind him, he heard “I can’t believe you let them sleep in the same room. How irresponsible!” probably his aunt Yui.. she always spoke her mind. 

He closed his door before he could hear his mom’s response. 

Hinata yawned again. Kageyama could see the dark bags beneath his eyes, and knew he must have a pair to match. They slowly got ready for bed in silence, and he felt a little awkward after dancing for so long and close, but thankfully things felt normal between them as they crawled into his bed. 

“I totally won tonight by the way” the runt had the nerve to say 

“Like hell you did.”

“You stepped on my foot that one time!”

…he had a point.

“Whatever.” His voice dropped a little lower as he asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Hmm… I’m saving it.”

“What?” Kageyama looked over at Hinata and saw a familiar determined look in his eyes.

“When you least expect it, I’ll call it in! Mwahaha!!” Hinata squirmed in excitement. 

“Dumbass.”

Hinata scrunched up his nose as he flashed a smile at him, and Kageyama’s breath hitched. He reached out to grab Hinata’s head and squeeze it hard enough to make that ridiculously cute smile go away before his heart burst.. But once his hand was tangled in his hair, he involuntarily ran his fingers through it instead. It was so bright and fluffy he couldn’t resist and shit, this was way too obvious. He pulled his hand away.

“Thanks for coming tonight” Kageyama mumbled. He hated family events so much because they reminded him too clearly of who wasn’t there, but Hinata had made the night enjoyable.

“It was fun!” He yawned while asking, “You wanna go to the shrine and pray for victory in the morning?”

Kageyama paused for a second and looked away before saying, “Actually.. there’s someone I’d like you to meet tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write (о´∀`о) The conversation between Kags and his sister is my favorite thing I’ve written!!! 
> 
> let me know what you thought!!
> 
> Once again I’ve just been blown away by the incredible art people have been making for this fic!! I post them alongside my own artwork on IG @sundance10_art and you should go check them out!(*´꒳`*)
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated very very much! Thanks everyone :)


	18. Operation: uhhhh SO MUCH IS COVERED WHAT DO I TITLE THIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Hinata’s turn for the BIG GAY
> 
> (only he hides it better, smh @ Kags)

Normally on New Year’s Day, Hinata would go to the shrine with his family or friends, and he’d pray for victory in his volleyball games, good health, a girlfriend, and anything else he could think of.

This year he wouldn’t be going to a shrine, and he had a feeling that even if he did, he wouldn’t be praying for a girlfriend. 

He looked up at Kageyama who was walking silently beside him, a darker look on his face than normal and his eyes withdrawn. Hinata had guessed why, even before they got to the memorial site. (The flowers in his hands also kinda gave it away, as he didn’t think Kageyama was planning on confessing to anyone or anything .. ) 

While Kageyama hadn’t outright told him, he could tell that the other boy had lost someone important to him. There was a certain emptiness in his setters house that he noticed Kageyama seemed to react to. 

If Hinata had to guess, he would say he must have lost that someone shortly before their match in junior high. There had been a look inside his eyes that day that went way deeper than competitiveness or anger. 

They stopped at a memorial for a man named Kazuyo Kageyama, and Hinata didn’t need to read the name to know this was who Kageyama was missing. He could see it in his eyes as he looked at the stone monument. Kageyama didn’t take his eyes away from it as he mumbled, “my grandfather.” 

Hinata dropped down before the stone and introduced himself, as it just seemed like the polite thing to do. Kageyama knelt down beside him and placed the flowers in front of the monument.

“This is that dumbass I told you about.” He said gruffly. 

Hinata ignored the way his cheeks warmed as he hit Kageyama’s arm “Hey! You can’t call me that, I gotta make a good first impression!!” 

His heart jumped as Kageyama gave him a small smile. He realized it was the first one he’d seen all day and didn’t hesitate to smile right back. 

They stayed there a little while longer; Kageyama mumbled a few things to the memorial that he couldn’t quite hear, but Hinata may have done the same thing as he softly thanked Kageyama’s grandpa for being a wonderful person in the life of the young boy who had needed it, and made sure to tell him that he’d make sure Kageyama was happy. 

As they left, he noticed Kageyama was wiping at his eyes, and seeing Hinata look, he bit out a brisk “shut up. There’s just dust in my eyes.” but added with a teasing tone, “It’s probably someone’s ashes.” 

“Gahh!! Get them out of there!!! Don’t you know what could happen??”

Kageyama stared at him blankly 

“One time saw someone sprinkling dust over a field and I asked my dad what they were doing.. he said they were spreading someone’s ashes!! So I think when they’re planted they grow into people!!! You don’t want that in your eyeball.” 

“You fucking what?” 

“Yeah!! They’re like seeds”

“Did you pay attention at all to anything your mom told you when she gave you _the talk_?”

He felt his cheeks heat up “Not really, but there’s gotta be a bunch of ways to make people because there’s so many, right??” 

He was mostly making it all up, and he knew it, but it could happen.. right? Either way, it made Kageyama laugh, which had been his original goal anyways. 

Kageyama shoved him and called him the stupidest person he knew, but Hinata felt relieved to see him without that sad look on his face. The thought of how lonely Kageyama must be without his grandfather suddenly hit Hinata, and he reached out to grab his hand before he could think about what he was doing. He swung it between them and bumped his shoulder against his arm. 

He could’ve imagined it, but he thought Kageyama was gripping his hand a little harder than normal, so Hinata gave his hand an extra squeeze just to be sure. (and because it felt like he’d win if he squeezed harder)  
  


.｡~☆~｡.  
  


Later that week, Hinata told Coach Ukai all about his desire to play beach volleyball while visiting him at Sakanoshita Store. He wasn’t sure what kind of reaction he was going to get, but he needed to tell someone!!! He was thankful that the older man was supportive of his goal, and told him they had time to look into it. While they were figuring something out, Hinata was going to watch so many beach volleyball matches that his eyes were gonna bleed!! Yay!!

He easily biked home that night on all the excited energy he had building up inside of him. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

From then on, Hinata devoted most of his time either talking to Coach about various possibilities or watching matches. He hadn’t told Kageyama yet, even though he knew he needed to, but acknowledging to the dumb boy (that he liked) that he was leaving after highschool somehow was _way_ harder than telling his coach. Kageyama was his best friend, and they spent so much time together that Hinata didn’t know how he was going to react. Even if the taller boy was slightly emotionally constipated, he’d be at least a little sad about Hinata leaving, right? But this was the next step for Hinata to take to be able to stand on top of the world with Kageyama. He needed to be better at everything, and beach volleyball was the best training for that!! 

With that in mind, he tried his best to bring it up gently and casually…..   
  


~

“I’M PLAYING BEACH VOLLEYBALL OVERSEAS AFTER GRADUATION!!” he yelled to a wide-eyed Kageyama. 

They were sitting in Hinata’s room trying to study and it had been so quiet in there and he had just been _so bored_ that it sort of came out of his mouth. 

Kageyama’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.. “okay” 

“Okay?” 

Kageyama shrugged “good for you?” 

“Oh. Um thank you” Hinata rubbed the back of his head and laughed a little bit, completely caught off guard.

_That jerk!! What kind of reaction was that?? Be more bwaah??! About it!_

“Mhm” Kageyama mumbled in return. “Now quit distracting me, I'm trying to study. We gotta do well on our tests before nationals or else Ennoshita will kill us.” 

Hinata rolled his eyes but obeyed anyways.. Ennoshita could be scary if he wanted to. 

Ten minutes later, Kageyama was the one bothering Hinata out of boredom by flicking balled up pieces of paper at him. 

Some things never changed.. They still couldn’t study to save their lives.

The rest of the night, Kageyama was even more withdrawn than normal. Most people probably wouldn’t have noticed it, but Hinata could tell something was bothering him. Even when Natsu put his hair up in two little pig-tails he had that dead look in his eyes, and Hinata maybe didn’t laugh at how stupid he looked as much as he normally would’ve. 

Was he upset about him leaving after all? 

“Hey Tired-yama? Hinata asked as Kageyama yawned loudly beside him. 

“What?”

“Are you upset about me leaving?”

“Of course not. That’s a dumb question.” He answered brusquely. His eyebrows furrowed together and Hinata could tell just by looking at him that he was hiding something. 

“You liar.”

“What? It is a dumb question!”

“That’s not what you’re lying about!!” Hinata was close to tears now. Why wouldn’t he just tell him?

“So you’re admitting it was a dumb question?”

“I-No whaa forget I said anything.” Hinata flopped over onto his opposite side so he wasn’t facing the other boy.

He knew he was being a little petty, and they didn’t normally fight like this, but he was so frustrated! He wanted Kageyama to just tell him what was wrong. 

Hinata puffed out a sigh, but he wasn’t really angry. He knew that as frustrating as his setter could be, they didn’t stay angry at each other long, and he’d tell him what was bothering him when he was ready. He just needed to be patient until then…. which arguably wasn’t his strong suit in the slightest. 

His theory was proven correct as he felt Kageyama lean against his back slightly. He might not have even noticed if he wasn’t paying attention, but he knew it was his way of apologizing. Hinata also knew that Kageyama was probably having a hard time putting his feelings into words, and needed reassurance that everything was okay. He felt a little bad about getting upset in the first place so he turned back around, wrapped his arm around Kageyama and buried his face into his chest.

He had a really nice chest..

Kageyama’s arm wrapped around his waist, and he felt his nose press gently against the top of his head. They didn’t need to use words at that moment to understand each other. 

Hinata knew… Kageyama just needed time. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

Apparently he needed a whole heckin’ lot of time.

Training for nationals was intense to say the least, and between training at the gym and in parks, the two boys were so exhausted that even if Kageyama wanted to talk about it.. Hinata wasn’t so sure he could stay awake to listen. 

The days leading up to the Spring Tournament flew by, and the tournament itself was also over in a blur. They had lost in the third round to Inarizaki, and somehow it was harder of a defeat than the previous year. Hinata tried to keep his spirits up for the sake of the first years, but couldn’t help crying most of the bus ride home. Noya and Tanaka were even quiet during the trip, and Hinata cried harder as he realized it was the last time he’d play with them. 

He spent the night at Kageyama’s house that night, partially because it was late when they arrived, but also because he didn’t really want to be alone. Judging by the way Kageyama laid extra close, he probably felt the same way. 

They didn’t end up sleeping very much that night, but instead whispered to each other about how upset they were, and how they were doing to win for sure next time!! (They also maybe had to go for a long run to get rid of pent up post-loss energy)   
  


~  
  


Hinata awoke slowly the next morning and felt a tentative smile spread across his face when he realized that their limbs were still tangled together.

Kageyama had been so distant lately that oftentimes he’d wake up and that jerk would already be gone for his morning run even though they normally ran together. Hinata was happy that their midnight run last night must have actually tired the big idiot out!

He closed his eyes again and decided, just for the moment, that he’d enjoy the warmth surrounding him. The feel of Kageyama’s chest rising and falling was slowly lulling his brain to a comfortable silence.

It was a dangerous game to indulge in these moments, and he knew that it would make it even harder to leave next year… but the calming, familiar scent that Kageyama naturally carried eased his worries about the future. He smelled like a summer rain, and Hinata felt himself burying his nose against Kageyama’s collarbone to chase even more of the addicting scent. 

“You idiot-“

Hinata jerked away at the sound of a gruff voice he wasn’t expecting to hear. 

-“You always yell at me about tickling you.. now you try and get back at me?? While I’m defenseless in my own bed??” 

“T-THATS RIGHT” Hinata jumped on the excuse and jabbed his hands into Kageyama’s side.

Kageyama grabbed his wrists and flung him off the bed where he landed with a solid _thump_ on the floor that he really hoped Kageyama’s mom didn’t hear.

“WHAaaa rude-yama!!!”

Kageyama smirked at him from above.

_He really is such a jerk. Why do I like him, again?_

At that moment, said jerk decided to stretch his arms over his head, and Hinata stared open mouthed as his shirt lifted a few inches, revealing perfect abs and smooth skin. 

_Oh.._

  
.｡~☆~｡.

They were eating lunch together at their normal place, and Hinata was very busy telling Kageyama about a cute dog in a stroller he had seen the other day. He knew he was rambling, but he also knew Kageyama normally didn’t mind and silently ate beside him as he listened, picking at his food with his chopsticks and only occasionally telling Hinata to not talk with his mouth full. 

They were just finishing up and were about to head to class, when a pretty girl walked up to them. Hinata recognized her.. she was who the boys in his classroom had designated “ the hottest girl in their grade” 

Hinata had to admit, they weren’t wrong. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder as she peeked at Kageyama through her long eyelashes (she was completely ignoring Hinata)

“What do you want?”

Hinata had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at Kageyama’s greeting. He never failed to be blunt about things, and Hinata was actually beginning to appreciate it. 

She took it in stride and didn’t even flinch as she asked coyly “I’d like to talk to you.” 

“Then talk” his eyebrows were furrowed together. 

Only then did her gaze flick to Hinata. 

“In private,” she added as her eyes quickly looked back to Kageyama. 

“Whatever you have to say you can just say it, but if this is a confession then you don’t even have to, my answer’s no.” 

Yeah.. Hinata was definitely appreciating his bluntness 

Her cheeks turned a little pink, but that was the only tell she gave that she was flustered, and Hinata had to hand it to her.

“I’ve heard all the rumors about you two.. but I’m sorry, there’s no way someone as attractive as you is into boys, right?” She flashed a smile and GAH Hinata was almost blinded by her white teeth.

“The hell does that even mean?” Kageyama’s furrowed brows were slowly deepening into one of his signature glares, and Hinata once again tried not to laugh.

“I mean.. c’mon, you’d rather date me than some boy, wouldn’t you?” She crossed her arms as her eyebrows rose. 

Hinata felt like he should have popcorn to eat while watching this. 

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?” She asked.

“I’d much rather date a boy.” His eyes flicked down to Hinata, almost nervously.

_BWUH?_

Hinata blinked as he tried to process what just came out of Kageyama’s mouth. 

_WHAT DID HE JUST SAY? he’d date a boy? Do I actually have a chance here??”_

He knew his mouth was wide open, but he couldn’t care less. 

“-but” Kageyama continued. “I’m not interested in dating anyone right now. Volleyball is what I’m focused on.”

_Ah.. of course.._

She opened her mouth, looked between the two of them, and closed it. She quickly recovered, however and tossed her hair again as she asked incredulously, “really?” 

Kageyama just nodded in response and turned to leave, but noticed Hinata was still standing there with his brain somewhere in outer space. He kept hearing ‘not interested in dating right now. Right now. _Right now. Right now.’_ As in.. later, maybe?..

Kageyama rolled his eyes and grabbed Hinata's hand to get him moving as he mumbled “let’s go, dumbass.” 

The girl reached out and touched Kageyama’s arm “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” And then winked.. like actually WINKED 

Kageyama jerked his arm away and started walking, dragging Hinata behind him as he went. 

Once they were out of earshot, Hinata summoned enough brain cells to yell, “Gahh! You’re pulling my arm out of its socket!!. 

“Oops” Kageyama mumbled nonchalantly as he dropped his hand and slowed to a more manageable pace for Hinata’s shorter legs. He shoved his hands into his pockets and Hinata noticed his eyebrows were all scrunched together. 

“Your face is gonna-“

“Shut up” 

Hinata let out the laugh he’d been holding in for the past five minutes. He grabbed onto Kageyama’s arm and smirked as the taller boy didn’t pull away. He studied his face and couldn’t help his eyes from drifting lower, until he was outright checking out the taller boy.

He couldn’t blame that girl for just going for it. 

Kageyama had a really pretty face, was built nice and athletically, was tall, had a nice voice if he wasn’t calling people names, _and_ he was super super talented!! After they played at nationals in their first year, Kageyama had started getting way more confessions than before. People must have known from that point that he was going to make it big and had been willing to overlook his crappy personality (that Hinata didn’t mind) and his scary face (that Hinata also didn’t mind). 

Since the rumor had started that they were dating, Kageyama was getting a lot less confessions, so today took him by surprise. 

He was also surprised that he didn’t even feel jealous. He had had no doubt in his mind that Kageyama was even considering saying yes.

He had to admit.. he admired that girl's confidence nonetheless.

Hinata also appreciated the fact that because of her, he learned Kageyama maybe didn’t think all dating stuff was gross all the time.. and he maybeee liked boys.. 

Yeah.. he couldn’t help the big smile on his face. 

“And your face is gonna stick like that, idiot.”

Hinata jumped away from Kageyama “W-well it’s not as bad as being stuck with a frowny face!!!”

“Imagine someone dies and you’re at their funeral and you have that big ass grin.”

Hinata smacked him even though he was kinda right.. that would be creepy as heck..

“Whatever” he mumbled as he took the taller boy's arm again. Hinata felt the heat emanating from below Kageyama’s school jacket on his own arm and leaned into it further. 

He was just so happy that he might have a chance after all!! Kageyama was still being stupid, but a chance however small it would be was better than nothing, and even with him leaving.. 

Maybe.. 

Just maybe…

Something could work out when he got back. 

A warm feeling burst inside his chest that he recognized as hope, and he smiled up at Kageyama as he squeezed his arm a little tighter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my original outline, that whole final scene wasn’t even there but like... ?? We need FLUFF !!! 
> 
> I wasn’t sure if it would make me :( to have them fight a bit.. but every relationships has bumps, and depending on how people work through them.. they can actually make the bond even stronger!! 
> 
> I think what we’ve learned from kagehina’s canon fight™ is that they both have such a great understanding of each other and are patient to wait for the other person to be ready to work through it. I love them sm and remember... we stan healthy relationships in this household!!!ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
> 
> Come talk with me on IG and see beautiful art for this fic @sundance10_art 
> 
> Kudo and comment if you enjoyed it, and I’ll have the next chapter out for ya on Wednesday!!


	19. Operation: cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for things to get EMOTIONAL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this angst? Is this fluff? I don’t know anymore 
> 
> FUN FACT: The second half of this chapter was one of the first things I ever wrote for this fic T^T

Kageyama needed to stop pushing Hinata away. 

But he also really needed to push Hinata away. 

His brain felt like it was ripping in half, and he didn’t have that much brain to begin with, so this was a big problem!!

Hinata was _leaving_ , and his mind was torn between thinking about that fact too much, and trying to bury it down and never think about it again. It was overwhelming, and to make matters worse.. he _had_ to complicate things by basically coming out to Hinata, as if his brain didn’t have enough to handle. 

_Why the fuck did I say that in front of that dumbass??_ Kageyama thought to himself as he unconsciously chewed at the end of his pen. He was in class and should really be paying attention.. but that wasn’t important compared to the crisis he was currently experiencing. 

_What if he’s uncomfortable around me now?_

No, he knew Hinata wasn’t like that. He was always so kind and loving to everyone that there was no way he’d turn away from Kageyama because of something like that. 

_But what if he knows I like him?... would that cross a line? .. what if he guessed it and is so weirded out that he’s leaving?_

Kageyama slammed his forehead on his desk in an attempt to force that thought out the back of his head. 

That wasn’t why Hinata was leaving after highschool and he knew it. Logically, he realized that it was entirely for Hinata’s improvement. (He needed it). His receives were getting better, but he still sucked at everything. Even knowing all that, his brain was ignoring logic, and he had no idea why. 

Helpful suggestions of “he’s leaving because he hates you” “you’ve been too mean so he’s leaving” “he’s leaving because he actually doesn’t care about you” were constantly bouncing around in Kageyama’s mind, and he frustratingly couldn’t control it. 

It had become almost painful to be around Hinata, because those doubts were so loud that he had a hard time looking at the smaller boy's bright smile and sparkling eyes without them creeping up. 

_Maybe it’ll get better over time._

_It’s just for volleyball. It’s just for volleyball. It’s just for volleyball.  
  
_

_~  
  
_

_It's because he’s sick of you and your ego._

The thought burst rudely into his mind as he and Hinata were bumping the ball back and forth between them underneath the brilliant cherry blossoms that had finally burst into bloom. The flowers vibrant colors and soft petals seemed to mock him. 

How could it be a beautiful warm, blue sky day, and he was still feeling like shit? 

They were officially done with their second year, and official practices weren’t happening until the new school year started. This meant they spent a lot of time at the park or their homes, fiercely needing to practice or else “they’d DIE” as Hinata put it. 

“Don’t tell me you’re turning into Tired-yama already!!” Hinata taunted as Kageyama’s receives got a little sloppy (by his standards). 

While the ball gracefully arced towards him, he straightened up and spiked it…right into Hinata’s face and snickered at the responding “BWAK!!-

-YOU JERK!” Hinata stood up as he dusted off his shirt, an angry red mark standing out on his forehead. “Just you wait. You better sleep with your eyes open tonight, sir” he laughed wickedly. 

That's right.. They were having a sleepover that night. 

Kageyama only panicked a little at the thought as he mumbled a quick “dumbass” purely on reflex.

Due to the craziness of the end of the school year, they hadn’t had much time for sleepovers, and Kageyama had maybee been slightyyy avoiding them. But when Hinata had bounced up and down earlier that day and asked if he wanted to go to his house to “celebrate a vacation from school,” Kageyama physically couldn’t say no. 

Saying no to an excited Hinata, with his freckled cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling was probably illegal somewhere, right?

So here they were, eating dinner at the little runts home with his family as everyone laughed and talked around him. Kageyama was quieter than normal, but he didn’t know what to do about that. He just watched as Hinata ate like a messy kid and tried not to stare too much as he licked a grain of rice off his chopsticks. 

That night, they had time to watch a movie for once, and finally weren’t so tired they could stay awake through it. They sat on the couch together, and Kageyama tensed as he had both Hinata siblings on either side. He sat up straight and tried not to encroach on either of their personal spaces. 

Hinata, that idiot, unsurprisingly encroached on _his_ personal space anyways. Like always. He had his legs in Kageyama’s lap and Kageyama had to ball his fists at his side to keep from resting his arms on them. 

He wanted to touch Hinata back so fucking bad

_He’s leaving because of you._

_“_ Shut up!!” 

“Huh? I didn’t say anything this time.” Hinata informed him 

_Shit.. that was out loud, wasn’t it?_

“Wasn’t talking to you, dumbass, but you deserved it anyways. You’re too loud.”

Hinata laughed, crinkling up his nose in the way that always made Kageyama’s insides tense up. 

“Yeah!! Be quiet Onii-Chan!! I’m watching the movie!!” Natsu complained 

“Yeah, be quiet” Kageyama seconded.

Hinata flicked him in the temple.

Kageyama pushed him off the couch. 

—

Even though he stayed awake through the movie, he had no idea what it was about. His thoughts had been way too loud for him to focus. 

Kageyama tried to control his breathing throughout the movie, but his breaths slowly got shallow and rapid. He needed to stop freaking out before a certain, annoyingly perceptive at times, orange haired scrub noticed something was up. 

How could he turn his brain off? He tried thinking about volleyball.. but that only reminded him of his old teammates who had rejected him. He tried zoning back into the movie but there was a family dinner on screen and it reminded him of the family members no longer seated at his own table at home. He tried blanking his mind to nothingness which normally worked, but somehow that just magnified every thought about Hinata leaving him, his grandpa leaving him, his dad leaving him, his teammates leaving him, leaving him. Leaving him. Leaving him. 

Oh god, his hands were shaking. He needed to leave, he should just go home-

“Kageyama” 

Hinata’s whispered word broke into his mind loudly, and he let out a small gasp and realized he hadn’t even been breathing.

He looked down to find Hinata’s eyes already studying him, full of concern. 

“What’s wrong?” He whispered to him, not wanting Natsu to yell at them to be quiet again.

Kageyama swallowed and willed his voice to not give away as he decided to go for the classic “nothing.”

Hinata didn’t need to say anything to let him know that he wasn’t buying it, he just raised his eyebrows as he took Kageyama’s trembling hand into his own small one.

He stood up and pulled Kageyama to his feet. 

“Natsu we’re tired so we’re heading to bed okay? Turn off the tv when you’re done or mom will hunt you down.”

She squeaked and nodded quickly before quickly returning her eyes to the screen. 

Once they were in his bedroom, Hinata gently said “let’s get ready for bed, alright?” Watching him warily out of the corner of his eye, as if he could tell that Kageyama barely heard him. 

When he didn’t answer, Hinata walked over to him and took his hand, rubbing small circles on the back of it as he looked up into Kageyama’s eyes and

_Oh fuck.._

Hinata really was incredible. Somehow, just looking at his soft face full of concern was suddenly too much for him and he quickly looked away before he started doing something stupid like cry. 

He pulled his hand out from Hinata’s because it didn’t seem fair to be able to touch him like that when Hinata didn’t want to stay with him anyways. 

_That isn’t right-_

“Kageyama, tell me what you’re thinking.”

“N-nothing, dumbass.” 

“Stop saying that!” Hinata yelled and Kageyama looked down in shock at the expression on his freckled face. “You keep saying that, but we both know you don’t mean it!” 

Kageyama slowly sunk to the floor and leaned his back against the door behind him. 

“Please,” Hinata said softly, sinking down to his knees beside him. “Talk to me, huh? I don’t know what you’re thinking unless you say it.” He reached up and brushed Kageyama’s bangs out of his eyes. 

For a long second he debated saying ‘nothing’s wrong’ again and trying to force Hinata to drop the subject…. but he knew he couldn’t do that anymore. Hinata was as stubborn as himself. 

“It’s just..“ Kageyama whispered, not meeting his gaze “..you’re leaving me too”

Silence hung heavy between the two boys. 

Kageyama risked a glance up and saw Hinata staring at him with wide, glistening eyes. Kageyama quickly averted his eyes and went back to focusing on not trembling so much. He hated this feeling. He hated feeling weak. Against his will, a hot tear burned its way down his cheek. He didn’t know what to say, what to do. He could feel his breath getting faster and this wasn’t good, he had to stop. 

But Hinata.. the small ball of warmth and sunshine that he was, always knew exactly what he needed.

Wordlessly, Hinata crawled onto his lap and wrapped his little arms tightly around Kageyama's shoulders. 

Maybe this wasn’t exactly normal friend behavior, but they were both known for pushing the boundaries in volleyball.. why not with each other as well? 

If it had been anyone else, Kageyama would have instantly sent them to the floor. But this was Hinata, so he wrapped his arms around his waist, buried his face in his shoulder and let the tears fall, soaking into Hinatas’ shirt. 

He had never told anyone besides Hinata about his grandfather passing away. Some people knew of course, but he never really talked about it with them. He never told anyone about how alone he had felt afterwards, or how his teammates rejecting him after he had lost the person he was closest to had destroyed him. 

With Hinata rubbing soothing circles into his shoulder blades, Kageyama told him everything. He told him about how amazing his grandpa had been. About how his mom was never there for him and always too busy with work. About how his dad had left when he was young. About his sister quitting volleyball. About his teammates once again and how he couldn’t stand losing his _best friend_ after all Hinata had done to bring color and light into his life. 

Kageyama cried. He cried so much he began to feel bad for Hinata's poor shirt. Tension from the past few days, but also years of pent up sadness and hurt spilled over along with the hot tears from his eyes. 

Hinata gave him time to let it all out, never once releasing the tight hold he had on Kageyama. As if he could physically hold him together and keep him from breaking. 

Kageyama talked until his throat hurt from speaking and his eyes were swollen and sore. He had run out of tears, so he sat listening to his breath hitch on each gasp of air. His whole body felt limp and exhausted. 

Despite all of that, there was a lightness beginning to bloom inside his chest that he’d never felt before. 

His face was still pressed into the crook of Hinata's neck, and he couldn’t help the corners of his mouth from slowly curling up into a very soft smile. He had said things he never would have dreamt he’d tell anyone. All his deepest emotions and memories laid bare to the small, beautiful, boy sitting on his lap. 

He raised his head and they met eyes. 

Hinata's eyes shone with freshly spilled tears, and Kageyama lifted his hands to track the paths they had left on his soft, freckled cheeks with his fingers before slowly wiping them away.

“Thank you for listening” Kageyama whispered. 

“Thank you for telling me” Hinata whispered back. 

“Brazil will be good for you. I didn’t mean what I said earlier. Now that I let it out, I can see that it’s the best way for you to get up to my level” 

As expected, Hinata's warm brown eyes flashed with the challenge. 

“I’m already there!” 

“Hmmm... don’t think so” 

Hinata scrunched up his nose and breathed in deeply, no doubt about to make some retort, but the sight of his face, so intense, made Kageyama let out a small laugh. The laugh loosened something deep inside his chest. 

Kageyama realized that he meant it when he had said he knew it was good for Hinata. In fact, he actually was starting to feel excited for the smaller boy. How could just voicing his fears make them go away? That didn’t make sense, but he wasn’t complaining. 

He felt like he could breathe again and smiled at Hinata.. which was the exact moment he realized he was still on his lap, staring at him with a funny look on his face, mouth parted and eyes wide. 

Kageyama cleared his throat “we should probably head to bed, idiot” 

Hinata seemed to come back around at that and promptly scrambled off his lap. 

“Bakageyama.. keeping us up so late.. you’re going to be extra grumpy tomorrow and it’s going to be your own fault” Hinata teased, sticking his tongue out. 

Kageyama once again felt the corners of his mouth rise. He made sure to throw a pillow at Hinata and cherished the loud “GAH!!” on his way out the door.

After their teeth were brushed and faces splashed with cold water, they quickly changed into their pajamas and curled up in Hinata’s bed, pulling the blanket up around them. Hinata pressed close and shoved one of his legs in between Kageyama’s. 

He was surprised at how good he felt after crying. He still had that lightness in his chest, but he was exhausted from pouring his heart out. 

“He’d be proud of you” Hinata said softly 

“Hmm?” 

“Your grandpa. He’d be so proud of you” 

Suddenly Kageyamas throat felt a little tighter than it had a few seconds ago. He just nodded in response, as he didn’t trust his voice enough to speak. 

After a few beats of silence, Hinata sleepily mumbled into his shoulder, “I’ll miss your sets when I’m in Brazil.” 

Kageyama didn’t dare read between the lines, or else he would end up disappointed, but he couldn’t help but hope Hinata meant something more. 

“You’ll just have to come back quickly then. We’ll stand at the top of the world together, okay?”

“Promise?” Hinata whispers 

“Yes” 

Kageyama somehow knew that it would happen. Fate brought them together, and he meant so much to him beyond just rivals. He probably wouldn’t get to call Hinata _his_ in a romantic sense, despite wanting that so desperately. But he knew their lives were intertwined, and that they were meant to play volleyball together. 

“I’m excited to come back.”

A change in Hinata’s tone had Kageyama glancing down to meet his eyes and was surprised to see that they were already looking up at him. 

Hinata’s eyes roved over his face with a small smile on his face. 

Kageyama swallowed as he studied the smaller boys face right back, and for a few seconds, (maybe it was his imagination?) the air felt charged around them. 

Hinata broke their staring contest as he quickly ducked his head beneath Kageyama’s jaw, and just like that, the moment was over. 

“Goodnight, ‘Yama” 

“Goodnight, Hinata” 

As Kageyama listened to his breaths slow and deepen into the telltale sound of sleep, he tried his best not to imagine what it would be like to have the smaller boy beside him every night, and to wake up next to him every morning (Drool and all). 

“Dumbass...” 

Kageyama whispered into the dark.   
  


“.... I love you” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh this chapter really means a lot to me!! 
> 
> Starting from the “Its just... You’re leaving me too” and on was written alongside like.. chapter 2? And so at the time I was like “okay I gotta get them from here.. all the way to there.. in 12 chapters..” (this had originally been chapter 14 in my outline oops) 
> 
> I hope it flowed well and seemed natural because I jumped around a few times for sure!!
> 
> Anyways.. poor Kags :( I know how it feels when you know something isn’t true but you can’t help but thinking about it too much. Like him, I’ve found that just talking it through makes it so much better!! Ahh I love these boys 
> 
> It’s my own personal head canon that Kageyama’s dad uhh isn’t around, just a feeling I have (but watch Furudate include him now just because that’s how the world works pft)
> 
> Okay my note is long enough please come talk to me on IG and see some art @sundance10_art 
> 
> Love you guys :)


	20. Operation: Be There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some feelios
> 
> (but not as much as last chapter, don’t worry)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started writing it
> 
> Had a writers block
> 
> Bon appetite
> 
> (spot the aspect of a healthy relationship that I incorporated into this chapter woo woo)

Kageyama found himself spending a lot more time at Hinata’s house after the night he had spilled his gross little feelings (okay BIG feelings) to Hinata and had the revelation that his feelings went deeper beyond just liking the idiot. 

Ever since that night, things felt slightly different between the two of them. He would catch Hinata staring at him with a stupid look, as if he were actually thinking about something (wack). 

If it weren’t for the fact that the smaller boy was still all over him any chance he could get, he might think Hinata felt weird about how much he had opened up.

During their movie night with Karasuno's original first years, Hinata immediately claimed his lap as his own personal seat even though there was a chair available this time. He wasn’t complaining, but he had to work very hard to keep his thoughts PG… (he failed).

Kageyama was surprised no one commented on the two of them sitting so close, but he thought he saw Yachi wink at Hinata. He probably imagined it though, or maybe she just had something in her eye. 

  
~  
  


As normal, Hinata decided to spend the night at Kageyama’s after the movie was done, since he lived closer to Yamaguchi’s house. He didn’t have any pajamas packed of course, but when had he ever packed pajamas? He had a toothbrush at Kageyama’s, and never needed to be prepared beyond that. 

Kageyama didn’t mind.. 

He felt like such a pervert as he leaned against the doorframe and watched Hinata bend over to fold back the blankets on Kageyama’s bed, but the little runt was wearing his shirt and a small pair of boxers so could you blame him? 

His mouth went dry as Hinata’s back arched slightly..

_oh shit_

If he didn’t calm down, he was about to be in trouble when they crawled into bed together. The last thing he needed was Hinata and his grabby little self to accidentally nudge him in the wrong place and- 

No.. he wasn’t even going to think about that. 

Hinata straightened up and beamed as he turned around, and Kageyama quickly had a coughing fit to try and cover up his red cheeks. 

“Don’t die, Yamayama! I don’t know CPR!!” Hinata laughed and jumped onto the bed. 

_That little bastard. What if I was actually dying??_

Kageyama stomped his way to his bed and shoved Hinata over until he was pressed against the wall. 

They both ducked underneath the thin blanket, and Kageyama pushed Hinata away again as he tried to wiggle his way closer to Kageyama’s side. 

“Stay away, it’s too hot tonight for that.” He said mainly so that Hinata wouldn’t find out about his problem, but he wasn’t lying. It was really warm in his room (not that that normally stopped them). Thankfully, Hinata only pouted a bit and didn’t argue.. but he did stick his foot out to rest against Kageyama’s shin. 

He nodded as if satisfied, and said (more like yelled) goodnight before promptly closing his eyes. 

Kageyama rolled his eyes, and soon both boys were fast asleep.

  
~  
  


It only felt like a few hours had passed when Kageyama was awoken by the feeling of Hinata kicking him. 

“Ow! Dumbass!! Stop moving around!”

He thought Hinata must have been messing with him, but as he saw that the smaller boy’s eyes were still tightly closed, he realized he must still be asleep. Hinata thrashed around a few more times, and Kageyama noticed as his eyes adjusted to the dark that Hinata’s eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a frown on soft lips that really shouldn’t be there.

“Oi-“

Hinata’s eyelashes flickered but his eyes didn’t open.

“Oi- Hinata!” He shook his shoulder roughly, and Hinata jerked awake, gasping as he did so. His eyes were wide as they met his own, and he quickly jumped on top of Kageyama, squeezing his arms around him tight enough to make it hard to breathe. 

“Kageyamaaaa I just had a bad dream!!”

 _No shit, stupid_ he almost said. Instead he asked, “What about?”

“Whaa there was this tiny demented fairy and she was really scary!! Like for real- don’t look at me like that Bakageyama, she was!” Hinata leaked back and crossed his arms “her face was all shriveled and she had a big smile on and it gave me that yucky nightmare feeling! It’s still in me too!” 

“Sorry for laughing” Kageyama mumbled “it’s just.. my nightmares are a little different.”

“What are yours like?”

“People leaving, Sometimes I’m falling, sometimes the ground is closing in on me, sometimes a combination of all of that.” 

“That sounds horrible!” 

“Yeah, but I guess.. demon fairies.. are scary too.” He mentally patted himself on the back for keeping a straight face.

“Yeah they are!! I don’t want to go back to sleep unless she finds me again!!!” 

Kageyama was beginning to feel pretty awake himself and glanced at his clock to see that it was 4:32, only a couple hours before they normally woke up. 

“Volleyball?” He asked 

“Volleyball!!” Hinata agreed

They played together in his backyard as the sun rose, and somehow Hinata seemed to glow in the light more than normal. The soft, rosy color washed over his small frame, and Kageyama was mesmerized by the way the light filtered through his hair like a halo. 

That morning was one of the first times in his life he was so distracted that he took a volleyball to the face like a certain dumbass (who’s fault it was anyways). He'd never seen Hinata laugh so hard, and somehow it was kind of worth it. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

The increasingly warm days of May soon gave way to the humid days of June. Summer life had begun, and it hit Kageyama one afternoon that he really was a third year student. 

He remembered how old and mature the third years had seemed when he was just a first year, and now he realized.. maybe they hadn’t actually felt that way. 

“Oi- dumbass do you feel old?” He asked Hinata as they were laying in his backyard, enjoying the cool grass after a grueling practice session.

“Huh? Are you making another old person joke about me because I swear I god-“

“No” he interrupted “Do you feel like.. grown up?” 

Hinata’s eyes slowly slid to his own and Kageyama could see the hesitation in them. “What do you mean?” 

“We’re third years now, idiot. Shouldn’t we know how to live life and be all mature and have things figured out?”

Clarity washed over Hinata’s face, and he laughed loudly, ignoring Kageyama’s glare. 

“You think I know these things?? I’m just happy I grew a few centimeters in the past year!” He jumped up as if to show off his “height” and held his hand out to Kageyama.

“You’re still a shrimp.” He mumbled as he took the offered hand.. and landed flat on his ass as Hinata let go and laughed even more. 

“You wanna fuckin go, you little shorty??” Kageyama yelled as he brushed the dirt off himself and stood up, smirking as he towered over Hinata. 

“Little shorty.. isn’t that redundant?” Hinata smirked up at him, not backing down. 

“Redun- what.”

“I don’t know, I just heard Tsukki say it when I called him a big huge beanpole. I have no idea what it means.”

“That’s the most idio-“ Kageyama was cut off by the sound of Hinata’s phone ringing. 

“You finish that sentence later, I dare you!” Hinata yelled as he brought his phone up to his ear.

“Hello?” 

Kageyama felt weird about listening, but he was _right there_. He kicked the grass at his feet to give himself something to do. 

“Ahhh Yachi!!... What’s up?” A long silence was followed by “Really? She did? Yachi I’m so sorry. How’re you feeling?” 

Now Kageyama felt ever weirder about listening, it was clearly something personal. 

The two exchanged a few more words before Hinata hung up, a frown on his face that hadn’t been there before.

“Kageyama I’m really sorry, I know I was gonna spend the night, but I think I should go over to Yachi’s. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s okay” Kageyama nodded and felt a small pang of disappointment run through him. He quickly felt it fade, however, as he realized Yachi must need Hinata, and she was his friend too. 

“Thanks,‘Yama! I’ll make it up to you, pinky promise!!” Hinata held out his pinky and Kageyama’s heart squeezed at the cute gesture as he wrapped his own pinky around his tiny one without hesitation. 

As Hinata quickly disappeared from his sight, he realized he was completely wrapped around that small finger. 

—-

HINATA'S POV

—-

Yachi had confessed to Kiyoko 

The sunbeams of fading light were streaming through the blinds of her bedroom window as she hugged her knees to her chest and quietly let him know that it didn’t go very well. 

Kiyoko was kind about it, but it turned out that Yachi’s suspicions were correct in that she was already dating a boy. 

She wasn’t crying, but there was a fragile look in her eyes, and Hinata knew she was trying to hold it in. Her lower lip was trembling as she finished telling him exactly what had happened. 

“I knew it.” She whispered “I knew it and yet I still feel like this.”

“I’m sorry Yachi. Do you think it was good to talk about it with her?” He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“Yeah. I know it’ll help me move on. But I really hope things won’t be weird between us now!!” 

“I don’t think they will be! It’s always better to let people know how you feel, and you guys are good friends.”

Yachi smiled at him through the tears in her eyes as she said, “then why don’t you tell Kageyama?” 

_Aw dang it, why’s she gotta bring that into this. It’s okay for_ other people _to tell how they feel! Not me!!_

“Uwahhh Yachi we’re talking about you here! No need to bring my problems into it!!” Hinata waved his hands in embarrassment 

Yachi gave a small laugh and rolled her eyes. “Well, you’ll need to tell him eventually, you gotta invite him to your guys’ wedding after all.”

Hinata noticed her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. He tried to imagine how she must feel and pictured telling Kageyama how he felt, only to have Kageyama tell him that he was dating someone. 

_Owie_

Yeah.. he was glad he could be with Yachi and talk it through with her, but he knew it was going to take time. 

“Wanna watch a movie?” She asked hesitantly

“As long as it’s not a scary one!” 

“Or romance” she sighed. 

~  
  


During the movie, Hinata was surprised to see he had a notification from Kageyama. He opened his phone to read: 

**Ousamayama(-᷅_-᷄๑):** ‘ _Yachi okay_?’ 

“Awww, Yachi, he’s growing up so fast. He’s caring about others.”

“Kageyama?” 

“Yeah. He’s asking how you’re doing.” He looked over at her to check for himself how she was doing. 

“Aw I feel like a proud mama right now.” She laughed a little, and then added “did you tell him what was going on?” 

“He was with me when you called earlier, but I didn’t say anything.” Hinata yawned and realized it was later than he realized.

“You can tell him if you’d like, I don’t mind. Plus maybe talking about dating stuff will make him want to do dating stuff!” 

Hinata rolled his eyes and texted back a quick, 

‘ _Mhm. She’s just goin threw some stuff. Tell u later (＞人＜;)’_

He wasn’t expecting a reply, as Kageyama normally leaves him on read, but he was surprised to see the other boy typing right away. 

**Ousamayama(-᷅_-᷄๑):** _‘K. Glad ur there for her.’_

 **Ousamayama(-᷅_-᷄๑):** _‘goodnight, dumbass.’_

Hinata smiled a little to himself as he texted Kageyama goodnight before putting his phone away. He didn’t want to ignore Yachi, and it felt wrong to be giddy over a few texts when she had just had her heart broken. 

After the movie was over, Yachi stretched as she told him, “thanks for being here, Hinata. It helps just being around someone.”

“That’s what friends do! How’re you feeling now?”

She paused for second, thinking, before responding “I think a little better. It still hurts when I think about it, and I can’t believe I actually told her! Ahh I’m so embarrassed!!” She buried her face in her hands. “But,” she continued “there’s definitely closure now.”

“That makes sense! I guess you won’t be wondering ‘what if’ anymore, huh?” 

“Exactly!” She gave him a small smile and yawned. 

Since it was late, the two of them decided to crash in her living room for the night. 

Yachi fell asleep pretty quick where she was curled up on the other end of the couch, and Hinata couldn’t help but notice how different it felt rather than being with Kageyama. 

Being with him made him feel all gwahhh and uwaahhh, and the sound of his breathing always calmed Hinata and made him fall asleep quickly. 

He kind of missed that cranky boy a little bit. 

It was starting to scare Hinata how much he cared about him. Something had definitely changed between the two of them after Kageyama opened up to him about his past, but Hinata wasn’t sure what exactly. Kageyama seemed softer and more open around him for sure (even if he did still call him names and occasionally squeeze his hair). Hinata knew that those parts of Kageyama were never going to change, and he didn’t want it any other way. 

He loved when Kageyama would reach out for him though, seeking his touch. He didn’t shy away from Hinata like he used to, and Hinata was happy that he was the one Kageyama chose to tell about his past.

Hinata’s heart felt heavy just thinking about what Kageyama had been through, and wanted to squeeze all the sad memories out of him!! 

Yachi’s breath caught in her sleep, jarring Hinata out of his thoughts for a moment as he realized where he was. 

Hinata’s mom wasn’t expecting him home since she thought he was with Kageyama, and he had a feeling she might freak out if she knew he was at a girl’s house. 

Little did his mom know, a girl wasn’t who she needed to freak out about. His blood ran cold at the thought of getting “the talk” from her if she found out he actually liked Kageyama. He didn’t need to hear her tell him how two boys have sex. 

Maybe he’d just figure that out for himself one day.. 

Hinata felt his cheeks warm at the thought, and felt his stomach clench as the image of Kageyama, shirtless and overtop of him rudely burst into his mind before he could stop it. 

_No no no no think about something else-_

_-wait-_

_How the heck do two girls do it??_

He could always ask Yachi.. but he decided at that moment it would just have to remain a mystery for the rest of his life. 

Hinata was okay with that and soon fell asleep, definitely not thinking about a certain boy’s nice muscles and nice dick and nice eyelashes. 

Nope, not at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ but apparently Kags doesn’t
> 
> Also... THERE’S ONLY TWO CHAPTERS OF THEM IN HIGH-SCHOOL LEFT!  
> They grow up so fast T^T
> 
> https://pin.it/3UlYenM - Check out my character aesthetic boards, Kageyama’s and Hinata’s are super cute!!
> 
> Also check out my IG where I post art for the fic @sundance10_art 
> 
> If you enjoyed the chapter, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know!! Motivation was a little hard this week｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡
> 
> Thanks everyone!


	21. Operation: Spontaneously Combust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How much misunderstanding and fluff can I fit into one chapter challenge!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter snuck up on me

**Kenma:** _‘How’re things going with Kageyama?’_

The notification flashed across Hinata’s screen as he and Kageyama were seated on his bedroom floor, trying to memorize their list of English vocabulary words. 

Kageyama glanced down at the light of the phone between them before Hinata could even think to turn it away.

“The hell does that mean?” Kageyama grumbled, frowning in a way that was honestly just becoming endearing. 

“Uh.. I was telling him about how I was going to study with you tonight, and he’s probably just wondering how the studying is going! Heh!” Hinata rubbed the back of his head. 

_Nice cover!_

Kageyama’s frown faded and softened into his classic “my mind is empty” face, and Hinata breathed out a quick sigh of relief. 

He tried to think of a subtle way to snatch his phone away before Kenma wrote anything more incriminating like “do you still jerk off to him to help you sleep when he’s not there?” Or “have you written ‘Shouyou Kageyama’ in your notebook yet?” Which he didn’t, (write in his notebook that is) but sometimes Kenma could be blunt. 

His phone buzzed again, and he reached across the table, panicking that his thoughts had come true.. but it was too late. 

This message caught Kageyama’s attention as well. Why did Hinata place his phone so close to him in the first place?? 

“What the the fuck?”

_Oh no oh no oh no_

Hinata grabbed his phone, looked at the screen and was surprised to see that the message wasn’t from Kenma. 

**Yachi:** ‘ _any progress with him? ;)’_

_Why are they both texting me this now??_

“Wait a second..” Kageyama’s glare returned. 

_Here it comes._

_“_ The last time you were acting like this…” he paused as Hinata sat frozen to the spot in fear. “You fucking dumbass! If you broke one of my things again I swear to god I will throw you across this room.” 

_Wow he’s an idiot.._

_“_ Wh-what?? I don’t know what you’re talking about!!” 

“How stupid do you think I am?? You’re being all-“ he waved his hands around vaguely. “And apparently everyone is expecting me to be mad or something!!” 

“You _are_ pretty stupid if you actually think that’s what’s going on!!” Hinata balled his fists as he got up into Kageyama’s face. 

Kageyama opened his mouth in anger before roughly jabbing Hinata in his side. 

Hinata couldn’t help the small yip that escaped his mouth, since the taller boy had jabbed him right where he was ticklish. Judging by the sharp look in his blue eyes.. it had been on purpose. 

_That jerk-_

Kageyama jabbed him in the same place again, and quickly followed it up with another jab to his ribs (where he was also very ticklish). He yelped again and tried to squirm away, but it was too late.. Kageyama knew his weakness. 

What started as a few small jabs, soon turned into a full blow attack as Kageyama dug his fingers into Hinata’s sides. 

Hinata ended up on his back, rolling around and shrieking as he tried to push Kageyama’s arms away. His stomach hurt from laughing, and he didn’t realize at first that Kageyama was kneeling in between his legs, pressing his fingers into the skin that was exposed from his movements. 

The moment he realized the position they were in, his breath hitched in his throat and his laughter shuddered to a stop as he caught Kageyama’s gaze through the fringe in his hair. His hands stilled, but stayed pressed against Hinata’s flushed skin. 

For a tense moment, neither boy said anything. 

_Kageyama looks really good like this.._

Hinata unconsciously spread his legs a little further. 

Blue eyes darted down at the movement, but were soon locked onto his own brown ones, and Hinata swallowed as he noticed the other boys pupils were blown, making his eyes look almost black. 

His voice was low as he asked “if you’re not waiting for me to end you for breaking something.. Then why did they both ask that?” His fingers twitched at Hinata’s side. 

For a moment, Hinata was seriously considering telling him the truth. 

The truth about how much he likes Kageyama, and how he constantly complains to his friends about how whipped he is for him.

He opened his mouth, unsure of what he was about to say.. 

SLAM 

His door opened with a bang and a small body came flying into the room. 

“Woooo are you guys playing??? I wanna play too!!” Natsu yelled at the top of her lungs. 

The two boys quickly sprang apart, and Hinata felt his cheeks burning as he realized his mom was also at the door with her mouth open in surprise. 

He was at a loss of words and looked over at Kageyama to see he seemed to be a little shocked at the intrusion as well and had a furious blush that probably matched Hinata’s own. 

His mom saved them from even trying to explain by calming saying “We just came to say goodbye, we’re heading to the store. Need me to get you anything?” 

Hinata shook his head, and managed a weak smile. 

“Okay! We’ll be back in a little while, remember your dad is home. Goodbye boys” She shot him a look, and Hinata noticed with no small amount of embarrassment that she purposefully left the door open. 

The silence in the room was broken by Kageyama who asked “Well? Why did Kenma and Yachi say that?” 

_This boy and his one track mind. He’s not gonna let it go._

“Fine you were right-“ Hinata mumbled. 

Now that whatever that moment they shared had ended, he realized what he had been about to confess earlier, and Hinata knew that they couldn’t do that when they were going to part ways in under a year. 

He was beginning to think that Kageyama did like him, at least a little bit, after all. The look he had given him earlier proved that there was some level of attraction, but what would they do if they started dating and had to split up right after? They still had so much life to figure out!

It was too soon, and he knew it, so he mumbled out a quick, “- Ibrokeyourlittlemassagething.” 

“You WHAT?” Kageyama grabbed his shirt.

“I’m sorry!! I had a cramp in my calf muscle and tried using it to help but… but I broke it, okay??” 

He was telling the truth (but hadn’t planned on ever letting Kageyama know). It was supposed to be a secret he would keep till his grave!!

“You fucking moron-“ Kageyama let go of Hinata’s shirt as he pushed him away. “You’re buying me a new one.” 

“Fine. Now get back to your vocab words, you don’t even know what ‘florist’ means”

“Yeah I do. It’s a bunch of trees.“

“Okay so you do know, but you’re still way dumber than me!” Hinata stuck his tongue out at him.

“At least I’m more mature.” Kageyama rolled his eyes, and Hinata jabbed him in the side. 

Unfortunately.. Kageyama wasn’t also ticklish.   
  


~  
  


Later that night, as they were sitting on Hinata’s couch watching some action movie Hinata had picked out (yes, they gave up on studying) Kageyama asked gruffly, “how’s Yachi doing?” 

Hinata tore his eyes away from the explosions on screen to study the other boys face in the dim light. 

“She’s doing okay. She had a bit of a heartbreak, but she’s doing better.” 

“Oh” Kageyama replied.

“Yeah. She confessed to Kiyoko-senpai, and it didn’t go too well I guess.” Hinata continued watching his face to see his reaction. 

“Oh” he repeated, his face unreadable. It was too dark in there, and Kageyama was looking at the tv. “We should ask her to help us study our English words again.” 

“Yeah!! Wow that’s actually a good idea, I’m surprised!” 

Kageyama moved to push him off the couch, but Hinata used his speed to evade the taller boy's arms, giggling as he did so. However, Kageyama managed to grab Hinata’s ankle and pulled him towards him, quickly grabbing his wrists to throw him off. 

Hinata had to win!! He pushed a surprised Kageyama onto his back, and somehow ended up straddling his waist. He took advantage of Kageyama’s surprise to pull his hands free of his grasp, and rested them on top of his chest, pinning the other boy beneath him. Hinata was just about to laugh and taunt his victory when the door swung open to reveal his mom entering the house with her arms full of groceries . 

“Shouyou!” She dropped one of the bags. “I told you your dad was home!” 

Hinata scrambled off of Kageyama even faster than Kageyama had moved off of him earlier. 

“It’s not what it looks like!!” 

“Whatever you say.. either way, I need help putting these groceries away, so if you could keep your hands to yourself for five minutes and help me out here, I’d really appreciate it.” 

The two boys meekly followed her into the kitchen, a blissfully unaware Natsu trailing at their heels. 

  
~  
  


After Kageyama left, Hinata tried to quietly sneak back to his room, avoiding eye contact with everyone as he went. 

“Shouyou-”

_Aw crap_

“Yes?” He swallowed deeply and turned to his mom who had been reading quietly on the couch. 

“Natsu, why don’t you go and play in your room for a little while. After that, maybe you can have some cookies before bedtime, okay?” 

Hinata watched Natsu nod and happily skip away, content with the bribe of sweet things and completely oblivious to the torture her dear older brother was about to be subjected to. 

His mom smiled at his expression and said while laughing “you know she’s going to be heartbroken that you’re taking ‘her boyfriend’ away from her” 

“WHAT!?”

“She’s _in lovee_ with Kageyama. I’m surprised you hadn’t noticed! Don’t worry though, it’s just a little crush, but he’s all she talks about with me.” 

_WHAT_

“But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I had guessed you two boys had something going on, but I’d like to hear from you directly.. rather than walking in on the two of you.” 

Hinata’s face was burning as he forced out, “it’s really not like that!!” 

Her eyebrows rose and yeah okay.. she had every right not to believe him. 

“Really. We aren’t together.. but mom, I just.. I like him so much!!” He balled his fists at his side and pressed his lips together before he started spilling all his embarrassing feelings about the other boy. 

“I thought so. I know you two will work it out. He seems to really like you too.” She winked at him, and Hinata just nodded, still not trusting himself to open his mouth. 

She paused before saying, “I know I gave you the talk earlier about how to do things with a girl… but I never-“

He cut her off before she could say anything more “-It’s okay!! I already know so you don’t have to worry!”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise and she mouthed ‘you already know’ her eyes widening in shock. “You mean you’ve already-“

“No!! Gah this is so embarrassing!!” He covered his face with his hands. 

His mom laughed as she placed her book on the couch and quietly walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she said, “I’m sorry dear, this is just really new to me! If you have any questions, let me know. But I will admit, your circumstance _is_ a little different-“

“-I know!” He cut her off again. 

_This is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced._

“You two work really well together. Your father and I can see how much you care about each other.” 

“She’s right!” His dad called from the kitchen, and Hinata wanted to die when he realized he must have heard every word of their conversation. 

“We’re happy for you, Shouyou. He’s a good kid.” 

He looked up at his mom in surprise. “Yeah.. he is”

 _He really is._

He walked to his room with a small smile on his lips, despite his near death by embarrassment experience. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

A few weeks later, at the end of June, Kageyama surprised Hinata once again. 

“Huh?? What do you mean we’re going to the beach??” Hinata asked as they were changing after practice. 

“What else do you think I mean, dumbass?” 

“Like.. right now??” Hinata started jumping up and down with excitement, he couldn’t help it! He loved the beach but didn’t get to go very often due to being so busy. 

“It’s only 20 minutes by train, and I thought you might wanna practice beach volleyball” Kageyama said in that gruff voice that Hinata knew he used when he actually cared about something, but didn’t want anyone to know. 

“Gahhh Kageyama, your little grinch heart is doing great!!” Hinata wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s waist. 

“Can you two _please_ keep your disgusting pda to yourselves? I don’t want to throw up.” Tsukki said and fake gagged. 

A few of the other members of their team laughed, and Hinata’s cheeks flushed. 

“Fuck off.” Kageyama mumbled.

“Yeah!.. f-fu-” Hinata furrowed his brows and everyone immediately went silent, staring at him. “Fuu-... go away.” 

He ignored the little snicker Tsukishima tried to hide behind his hand, and the sympathetic look Yamaguchi threw his way. 

_Hhmph_

  
~  
  


It was a hot day, and Hinata gratefully embraced the cool breeze tinged with the smell of salt that gently caressed him as they stepped off the train in Shichigahama. 

It was a short walk to the beach after they had grabbed a snack, and once Hinata saw the ocean, he ran towards the water in excitement, kicking off his shoes and not even checking to see if Kageyama was following him (because he knew he was). 

He laughed as he chased the receding waves and ran backwards as they quickly chased him instead. 

The sound of the gulls filled his chest with warmth, and he couldn’t contain the giddy feeling that was building up inside of him as he gazed out at the sparkling blue water and felt the warm sand beneath his toes. 

Hinata spun around and was surprised to see that Kageyama was already watching him. He wasn’t smiling exactly, but Hinata could tell by the set of his mouth and the way his eyes shone that he was as happy as Hinata felt. He had a volleyball under one arm, and the breeze carefully blew his dark hair away from his face. 

For a moment, all he heard in his mind was _uhhhhhhhh_ and he knew his mouth had to be hanging open. 

Kageyama threw him the ball, and it was only the years of practice and reflexes he was blessed with that caused Hinata to grab the ball instead of having it smack him in the face.

He ran a little further from the waves, dropping his bag as Kageyama dropped his, before spiking the ball as hard as he could in Kageyama’s direction. 

~  
  


They figured out a pretty smooth rhythm: they’d play for a bit before jumping in the water to cool off (and try to see who could dunk the other first) and then returning to play until they were too warm again. They had stripped off most of their clothing until they were in their gym shorts and the warm sun against Hinata’s skin was a welcomed feeling. 

It was the most fun he had had in awhile. 

As the sun was setting over the water, the two boys laid in the sand, exhausted from the time spent in the sun and the cool waves. 

Hinata played with the sand beneath his fingertips and looked over at the other boy who had sat up and was reaching into his bag.

“Happy birthday, idiot.” Kageyama told him as he pulled out a slightly smooshed cupcake.

Hinata smiled at him as he also sat up, but because he couldn’t let the big idiot know exactly how touched he was, teasingly said “My birthday isn’t until tomorrow, Bakageyama.” 

“Well.. I figured your parents had somethin planned for your actual birthday and wanted to do somethin.” He looked away, and Hinata could have sworn his cheeks were a little pink. 

He could be wrong though, as the sunset made everything look a little pink.

“Thank you, Kageyama!” He took the offered cupcake and ripped it in half for the two of them to share. 

They ate it while listening to the waves lap against the shore, and Hinata might have scooted a little extra close as they watched the gulls beat their wings against the brilliant colors of the sun-streaked sky. 

When they had finished, Kageyama pulled out a small package from his bag and shoved it into Hinata’s lap, once again looking away. 

“What’s this?” Hinata asked in surprise

“What do you think it is, you idiot?? It’s your birthday so it’s a birthday gift.” He shook his head and mumbled “dumbass” under his breath but Hinata noticed the way his eyes quickly darted to check his reaction, as if he was nervous or thought Hinata wouldn’t like it. 

Hinata quickly opened the gift and pulled out a white baseball cap. 

“It’s for when you play beach volleyball,” Kageyama said quietly. “You always burn so it’s to help keep the sun off your face. I think you got burned just from today, did you wear sunscreen??” 

“Heh no. But thank you Kageyama!! Really! You’re the bestest ever!!” Hinata threw his arms around the taller boy’s shoulders, almost knocking him over. His heart was so full, and the thoughtfulness behind the gift made him feel like he was floating. 

He knew it was more than a hat. 

It felt like with it, Kageyama was saying “I support you in your goals of playing beach volleyball, and I want a part of me to be with you while you do that.” It meant so much to him, and he didn’t know how to put it into words without crying like a baby, so he just tried to squeeze the life out of Kageyama instead. 

That boy really never stopped surprising him. 

He sat back and put the hat on, backwards just to annoy Kageyama (he remembered how much he hated when people did that) and laughed as the other boy frowned at him. 

Kageyama’s arms were resting on his knees, and Hinata looked for a few seconds at the skin he so rarely got to see as his eyes raked over the taller boy's body. The sunset made him glow brightly, and wow- he had _nice_ muscles. 

Before he could be accused of staring, his eyes darted back up to meet Kageyama’s, and was met with a face just as distracting as his body. 

_No fair._

Kageyama yanked the hat off of Hinata’s head, before placing it roughly back on him the right way. He nodded as if satisfied, and went back to watching the waves, his hand playing in the sand between them. 

Hinata could taste the salt on his lips as he licked them, combining with the sweetness of the cupcake that he had eaten, and he wondered if Kageyama’s would taste the same. 

He reached out and took Kageyama’s hand, unable to hold back from touching the other boy in some way. 

Kageyama intertwined their fingers without looking away from the water, and Hinata knew he wasn’t imagining it this time when he saw the blush that tinged the tips of his ears pink. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rode on a cool dudes surfboard in Shichigahama last fall 
> 
> I have such a deep love of the ocean that this chapter sorta just happened unplanned (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
> 
> Sorry to disappoint everyone who saw the sneak peak on IG @sundance10_art Hehe 
> 
> You guys are the best and your sweet comments helped me so much you have no idea!!


	22. Operation: Fall for Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama learning to love life makes me :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So..
> 
> I debated whether or not to post this chapter today.
> 
> With all the hurt and suffering that’s happening in the world right now and that has happened in the past and is now being talked about, my heart is so heavy. 
> 
> I wondered, should I even post this when everything feels so wrong? Then I realized... Because everything feels so wrong, people might be needing something happy. 
> 
> So here’s a fluffy chapter, posted purely in the hopes that it made you smile if only for a moment.  
> Stay safe and enjoy <3

It was late by the time they got back to Kageyama’s house after the beach. 

As per usual, the two boys played Rock Paper Scissors to see who’d shower first, and Kageyama groaned as he presented rock, and Hinata paper.

The feeling of Hinata wrapping his small hand over his own to rub in that “paper beats rock!!!” almost made it worth losing. 

Almost. 

Hinata stole one of Kageyama’s shirts on his way to the shower, and after they were both scrubbed clean of the salt from the ocean and had brushed their teeth, they curled up in his bed. 

“I’m gonna be a year older than you when we wake up!” Hinata taunted as he yawned. 

Kageyama yawned while watching him yawn, and mumbled “it doesn’t work that way, dumbass.” 

“Yes it does! I’ll be 18 and you’ll only be 17.” 

“It’s only a few months!” Kageyama sat up and glared at him. “Whatever. That just means you’ll die sooner.” 

“What?? No it doesn’t! _That_ doesn’t work that way! We don’t know who will die first!” 

“I’ll know if I decide to smother you with your pillow right now.” 

Hinata punched him, and giggled as Kageyama jabbed him in the soft sides of his stomach. 

Kageyama had always known Hinata was ticklish, but somehow he had to test it out again and again. 

The view of Hinata’s face, flushed and laughing with his nose crinkling in that annoyingly cute way never failed to punch the air out of his lungs. It was addicting and he wanted to see it more. 

But he knew that the physical contact combined with looking at Hinata’s flushed face below him led to him wanting to do a lot more than just tickling.. 

Kageyama went to sleep that night with his shorts _just_ a little tighter than normal. 

.｡~☆~｡.  
  


On the second to last night during his last Tokyo training camp of high school, Kageyama made a _big_ mistake. 

He had pulled a muscle in his leg during one of their practice matches earlier that day..but that wasn’t the mistake. He was an athlete, after all, and pulled muscles happened.

The mistake was showing that it hurt….

While in the onsen...

Around a certain observant _idiot…._

Soaking in the warm water had eased his pain, and in all honesty, he had forgotten he had pulled the muscle (His first mistake). He had stood up too quickly, winced when it seized up from the movement, and slowly lowered himself back down into the steaming water. 

“Does it still hurt?” Hinata asked, looking at him with eyes full of concern, his orange hair stuck to his forehead. 

“It does not.” Kageyama grit out through his teeth. 

It really did.

“Uwahh I feel so bad about breaking your muscle massager thingy now!!” Hinata pouted. 

Yamaguchi chimed in from the other side of the bath, “it would help to have it massaged! I’m pretty good at it and can help you out if you want.” 

“No.” Hinata and Tsukishima both said immediately, and instantly eyed each other up as if they weren’t used to agreeing on things (which made sense because when did they ever agree?) 

Tsukishima broke eye contact first and glanced over to Yamaguchi. “I think you’ve been in the water long enough, the heat’s getting to you. Let’s go get changed.” He stood up and started walking towards the changing room without looking back to see if the other boy was following. “You two hurry up too, remember the second years get their turn next.” He added before closing the door behind him. 

“Yeah!” Yamaguchi added as he stood and walked to the door as well. “Don’t keep them waiting, remember how mad they got last time when you two _had_ to see who could last in the hot water the longest??” He closed the door behind him and before Kageyama knew it.. he was alone with Hinata. 

Normally that was okay, but also normally they were in the middle of some stupid competition, and Kageyama didn’t notice how close Hinata was, or how his skin looked with beads of water rolling off of it, or the way his eyelashes darkened while wet, or-

“-Kageyama” Hinata cut his thoughts off. Time slowed as he spoke the next sentence 

“I know some massage tricks too ya know..”

 _This was a big mistake._ He thought.

“Okay.” Was what slipped out of his mouth. The heat must have been getting to him because ‘ _Okay??’_

_Okay? What does that even mean in this situation?_

“What does that mean?” Hinata laughed. “You probably just think I don’t know any cool tricks, but I do.” His eyes glinted mischievously 

“Yeah right. You probably suck. Like you do at everything.” Kageyama deadpanned, unable to resist teasing him.

Hinata reached under the water and grabbed his thigh. _Dangerously_ close to touching Kageyama in an area he really didn’t (he did) want the little runt to touch. Hinata’s hand slid down his leg until he found the bend in his knee, and pulled him a little closer to access his calf easier. 

Kageyama was so caught off guard that he almost slid backwards into the water from the force of Hinata pulling him towards him. Luckily, his arms caught him in time, and his heart sped up as he realized what was about to happen. 

_Oh fuck no._

“Hinata-AH“

Hinata had pulled his leg up onto his lap below the water, and dug his fingers roughly into the area that had caused Kageyama’s pain all day. Kageyama’s knee stuck out of the water, and the way Hinata was holding one leg made his legs spread apart and he felt _so exposed._ The pressure against the sore muscle was both painful and welcomed, but that wasn’t what Kageyama was worried about.

His leg was _so close_ to Hinata’s dick and Kageyama’s cheeks flared red as he realized how near he was to the smaller boy's naked body. 

Hinata had that focused, determined look in his eyes and Kageyama would be lying if he said that didn’t just turn him on even more. He was very thankful that the steamy water could be used as an excuse for his warm cheeks and hide his growing erection. 

Hinata dug his fingers even harder against his muscle, and Kageyama had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. 

“It’s so hard, I can feel it!”

Hinata was talking about the decent sized knot in Kageyama’s calf muscle, and he knew it, but those words coming from Hinata’s lips sounded filthy. 

_Oh fuck.._

“Is it helping? I can feel it starting to loosen up I think.” He continued kneading, his deft hands really working miracles. 

It felt incredible.

“It-it feels really good.” Kageyama breathed out, unable to keep in the small groan that escaped his lips as Hinata hit a spot _just right._

Hinata’s hands stilled at the sound, and he quickly looked up at him with wide eyes. This close, Kageyama could see small flecks of gold in the brown that reflected the dim lights around them. His cheeks were flushed, but Kageyama couldn’t tell if it was from the onsen or not.

_Uhhhhhhh_

His gaze flicked down to Hinata’s lips and his heart jumped as he saw they were parted slightly, and threatened to stop beating altogether as a small, pink tongue darted out to run along them before disappearing. 

Kageyama’s eyes traveled back to Hinata’s own, and saw they were heavy lidded. His small, strong hands began carefully working the muscle again, moving their way slowly up Kageyama’s leg. Gentler than before, and more cautious.

Kageyama wasn’t sure if he was breathing anymore, and he was aching to be touched between his legs so badly it almost hurt. His hips rose a fraction of an inch, seeking any kind of friction. His own leg was still on Hinata’s lap, inches away from the one area he’d never touched before, and Kageyama wondered what would happen if he gently pressed against it. 

Would he also be hard? 

His heart leapt at the thought.

“Are you two done in here yet?!” One of the second years yelled as he opened the door. His eyes widened as he saw the two of them so close together. 

They sprang quickly apart, and the water sloshed around them at the sudden movement. 

“WHAT WERE YOU DOING??” 

Kageyama wasn’t the best at reading people, but he could’ve sworn there was a flash of hurt in his eyes. 

“Kageyama- uh- had a leg cramp and uh- I was just….” he trailed off as he flailed his arms vaguely.

Kageyama nodded his head. 

“Ooookay… well.. we’re waiting.”

“Yeah!” Another second year peaked his head in the door frame. 

“We’ll just be a couple more minutes.” Kageyama muttered. He was still too worked up to be standing around all of them, but knew he could probably get it under control if he just had a bit of time. 

He thought he heard one of the boys mumble something about not wanting to bathe after them and really hoped it was just because they had to wait so long (and not that they were worried about the water cleanliness).

Judging by the looks they received as they passed the three second years on their way out, he wasn’t so sure.   
  


.｡~☆~｡.

In late October, Kageyama had a realization. 

He genuinely liked autumn. 

Before, he only appreciated the season because it meant it was finally cool enough to jog comfortably. Now, he breathed in the smell of the leaves as a crisp breeze caressed his skin and smiled to himself for no reason beyond it was just _nice._

He sat with Hinata beneath the tree they always sat at during lunch, and he admired the way the maple had turned bright red. 

Hinata talked loudly about something stupid he had done that morning (he had entered the girls bathroom on accident, the idiot) but Kageyama was only half listening. 

Next to the red of the leaves, Hinata’s freckles stood out even more, and his orange hair suited the autumn colors surrounding them. Kageyama noticed his hair was getting longer, and before he knew what his hand was doing, it had reached out to check for sure (the traitor).

Hinata’s voice trailed off as Kageyama’s hand gently ran through Hinata’s soft curls and oh.. it was definitely getting longer. 

_Wait._

_What am I doing?_

Kageyama roughly grabbed Hinata’s hair, tugging a bit as he willed his face into the expression it seemed to love the most: frown. 

“Dumbass. You have enough bad bathroom experiences, but now you go and do this?? What an _idiot.”_ He shoved his head a little for good measure. 

“Shut up Meanie-yama!! You’re the one who failed your test so you’re the real idiot!!” Hinata turned up his nose, but seemed to be holding in a smile. 

Kageyama opened his mouth in shock, and grabbed an inarizushi from Hinata’s bento with his chopsticks. He popped it in his mouth and laughed as Hinata punched him and screamed.

~

After practice that day, Kageyama decided to ask the question that he’d been thinking about all day. 

“Oi- dumbass. Let’s go to the Matsushima light up this weekend.” 

“Uwaahhhh yeah!!! Let’s goooo!!!! I haven’t gone in so long.” Hinata, who had just been complaining about how tired he was from practice, started jumping up and down like a bunny on crack cocaine.

_What the fuck. Why’s he like this_

“Wow” Tsukishima laughed into his hand “looks like you got yourself a date, king.”

If anyone else had said that, Kageyama might have blushed and avoided the question because was this a date? But this was Tsukishima, and he had to argue. 

“We aren’t dating,” he spit out. 

“You aren’t?” Tsukki asked, eyebrows raised

“You aren’t??” One of the first years asked. 

_We aren’t?_ His mind also asked. 

“We aren’t!” Hinata’s confirmed loudly. Kageyama nodded his head. 

“What are you then?” One of the second year students asked quietly from where he was sweeping. 

Kageyama looked at Hinata for a beat before answering honestly, “this idiot is my partner.” 

“Like.. volleyball partner?” Someone asked. 

“Everything partner!!” Hinata yelled as he jumped on Kageyama’s back, almost knocking him over. He was starting to put on muscle and was heavier than Kageyama was expecting. 

“Oi- I’m not a playground, get off of me!!” 

The two of them began fighting as normal, and the rest of the team went back to what they were doing, seemingly satisfied with their answer. 

Kageyama knew there was no other way to explain what they were to each other. They weren’t dating, but were they just friends? Kageyama had never had a friend before so he didn’t know what to base what they had going on off of.

Did friends hold hands? Maybe they did. 

Did they cuddle during sleepovers? He didn’t know. 

Did they stare at each other's mouths while the other talked? Why not? Mouths are cute. 

But even with all of that, Kageyama wanted _more_. They weren’t dating, and Hinata very well could start seeing someone else again. Then what?

He also wanted to do little things like kiss and stuff. Heck, he wanted to do a lot more than kiss, but Kageyama knew he had to be okay with only occasional hand holding and nothing more. Hinata needed him to only be his friend.

All he had to do was not fuck it up by letting the other know how much he wanted to be more than that.   
  


.｡~☆~｡.

He almost fucked it up that weekend in Matsushima. 

They walked along the coast together, bumping arms (until Kageyama almost bumped Hinata into the ocean on accident) and he couldn’t say no to Hinata begging him to buy him snacks from the vendors. Normally he wasn’t a fan of sweet things, but he tried a bite of Hinata’s melon-pan and had to admit it was pretty amazing. He stared at the piece of whipped cream smudged on Hinata’s lip and wanted to wipe it off with his finger (or his own lips) 

Instead he settled for the classic: “you eat like a baby” 

  
~  
  


The sun slowly sank below the horizon as the two of them waited in line to get their tickets, and Hinata wouldn’t stop bouncing around in excitement. 

“Do you think they’ll have those super cool projections on the rocks this time??”

“Of course, dumbass. They do every year.”

“Uwahh have you come here much Yamayama-kun??” Hinata turned to him.

“I’ve never been here.” Kageyama rolled his eyes as Hinata hung on his arm asking him how he knew that if he’d never been there. 

“I looked it up online okay?? It’s a popular place.” He shook Hinata off. 

“Yeah! There’s a lot of foreigners here. That’s why my family only took me once.. Too busy” He grabbed Kageyama’s arm again. 

This time though, he didn’t shake him off. 

  
~  
  


Hinata held onto his arm, pressing into his personal space, for the entire walk. 

Kageyama really didn’t mind. 

The beautiful trees were lit up with lights to highlight the fall foliage that was ablaze with color, and there were candles everywhere you looked along the path. The candles mirrored the stars overhead, and the darkness of the sky contrasted the brightness of the lit up leaves. 

There must have been a live band playing somewhere, because peaceful traditional music filtered through the trees and mingled with the sound of leaves crunching underfoot and hushed voices. 

As breathtaking as the autumn colors were, Kageyama found himself occupied by watching Hinata’s reactions to the blaze of color surrounding them. 

Awe lit up his small face, and the dim lights reflecting off the leaves caused his skin to glow with warmth. The light from the candles danced in his eyes, and he took in everything around them with a sense of childlike wonder. 

When Hinata saw the projections that he had been so excited about, his lips spread into a huge smile, and his eyes filled with joy. He laughed and pointed and grabbed Kageyama’s jacket, and his happiness was even more beautiful than the foliage surrounding them. 

Kageyama had to look away at that moment, before he did something stupid like kiss the little runt. 

~  
  


Despite the fact that they were bundled up in warm coats, the cold air soon set their teeth chattering. 

To warm up, they got steaming hot pork buns at a nearby street vendor and enjoyed the warmth emanating from the small van. 

Things from a food truck tasted much better than things from a convenience store, and Hinata sighed as he bit into his bun, his puff of air visible as he exhaled a hot breath into the cold air. 

Small glowing lights were strung up between the food trucks, and Hinata smiled at them as he leaned against Kageyama. “I’m really happy we came tonight.”

Kageyama was too busy looking at the way the cold air had made Hinata’s round cheeks and the tip of his nose rosy to answer. 

At his silence, Hinata looked up, and his eyes widened when he realized Kageyama had already been watching him. 

Kageyama couldn’t force himself to look away, and didn’t miss the way Hinata’s eyes darted down to his lips. He felt heat burst inside of him as his heart jumped. 

“Me too” He whispered.

Hinata beamed at him, a flash of bright sunlight against the darkness of the night.

He quickly averted his gaze, and nudged Hinata with his shoulder.

Hinata nudged him back, a little harder, which started a nudging battle between the two of them that ended with Hinata, laughing, on his ass in the dirt.

 _Fucking idiot._ He thought with a smile, as he helped Hinata to his feet. 

_I’ll miss you._

  
~  
  


They walked back to the train together, and Kageyama couldn’t help his brain from starting to overthink. Why couldn’t it think this much when it came to schoolwork??

_I’m so fucking in love with this dumbass._

What was he going to do when Hinata left? 

That was the one thing that had stopped him earlier from leaning down and capturing Hinata’s pink lips with his own when he saw Hinata‘s gaze rake over them.

He wasn’t the best socially, and his mind was telling him he was completely misreading the situation, and that Hinata didn’t actually like him at all like that. 

But for a second.. just one second.. he allowed himself to imagine what he’d do if Hinata did like him. 

What would they do? 

They’d date for a few months and then what? He wanted the other boy to be free to go out into the world without any strings attached. To be able to experience life and not worry about a relationship. As much as it hurt to think about, he knew it would be easier for Hinata to leave without him complicating things.

_Hinata will be back._

Maybe.. he wasn’t misreading the signals he’d been getting from Hinata.. maybe he liked him back, and _maybe_ they could be even more than best friends.

There were a lot of ‘maybes,’ but Kageyama felt a small glimmer of hope bloom in his chest, and flicked Hinata’s forehead (“Uwah what was that for??”)

He could be patient. 

It’s just a few years.

He could do that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah ha hah “Fall for Him” get it? “Fall” pfftt. 
> 
> Fun fact: I had my first ever steamed pork bun at a food truck in Matsushima. I’ll post a super pretty video of the live band I saw at the light up on my story highlights @sundance10_art :)  
> -
> 
> I love you guys, and you’re all so special. If you ever need to talk about anything, dm me on IG @sundance10_art


	23. Operation: Drink Happy Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> why overthink when you can over drink?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think y’all are gonna like this one.. ;)

Something Kageyama had begun to appreciate during the freezing month of February was how cold his house had become.

That might be an indication that he had lost his mind completely, because who likes their house to be cold?! He used to _hate_ waiting for his small space heater to warm up the frigid room whenever he got home from practice. 

Now, it gave him an excuse to huddle a little extra close to Hinata as they sat beneath the warm kotatsu table doing homework. 

“Oi- stop chewing your gum so loud.” He grumbled

In response, Hinata chewed louder, opening his mouth and smacking his lips obnoxiously with each bite. Kageyama was too warm and tired to really care. 

They had piled up pillows against the wall behind their backs, and with their legs underneath the warm table and blanket over top of them, Kageyama’s eyes had started to droop in a haze of comfort. 

Hinata seemed to be in a similar situation, and Kageyama knew there was no way they had gotten any of their reading done. He kept reading the same sentence over and over again, listening to Hinata smack his gum. 

_Why’s that dumbass so loud all the time??_

“You’re so fucking annoying, I can’t focus. I’m taking a quick nap.”

Without waiting for Hinata’s response, Kageyama wiggled deeper into the pillows behind him, closed his eyes, and pulled the blanket up a little higher. He felt Hinata scoot a little closer and despite the fact that the tip of his nose was cold, Hinata’s warm body made it all too easy to drift off to sleep. 

  
~  
  


Kageyama didn’t want to open his eyes when he woke up. The cozy feeling surrounding him had only intensified while he slept, and he smiled a little as he realized his head was resting on Hinata’s chest. He felt the gentle rise and fall of each deep breath the smaller boy took in his sleep, and Hinata’s hand was resting in Kageyama’s hair.

He’d never felt this level of comfort before and felt like his heart was going to explode as he inhaled Hinata’s subtle citrus scent.

Did this have to end?

Too soon, he felt Hinata begin to stir below him and he quickly evened his breaths and pretended to be asleep.

He felt small fingers twitch in his hair before they started gently stroking through the strands, and Hinata shifted against him. 

Hinata’s body froze however, and Kageyama felt him pull back before going completely still. 

“Oh no, he’s gonna kill me.” Hinata mumbled. 

_What the fuck_

It was a struggle to not open his eyes too suddenly, but he did his best to slowly ‘wake up’.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with a pair of panicked brown eyes. Hinata’s mouth was hanging open, and he quickly looked away, whistling softly.

“Why’s your face like that?!” Kageyama tried his best to sound calm. He really did. 

“Oh umm I uhhh gotta go home!!” Hinata started to jump up, but Kageyama grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. 

“What. happened.” He growled through clenched teeth.

Hinata shook his head, still looking at him wide-eyed. He wasn’t making eye contact, as his brown eyes kept darting to Kageyama’s forehead, and he was starting to drive him crazy.

“Tell me right now.” 

Hinata gulped before opening his mouth to mumble “yourhairatemygum.”

“Hah??”

Hinata seemed incapable of words and pointed at his open, empty mouth before pointing up at Kageyama’s forehead.

Kageyama brought his hand up to where he was pointing, and recoiled as he felt something sticky tangled in his hair. 

“You have three seconds.” 

Hinata scrambled to get up, but was hopelessly tangled in the blanket. Kageyama wrapped his arm around Hinata’s waist and grabbed his orange hair before yanking it tightly, rubbing his knuckles into Hinata’s scalp.

Hinata’s shrieks quickly turned into laughter as he struggled to free himself from Kageyama’s grasp, and he started kicking him in the shin over and over again until he finally let go. 

Both boys were breathing hard. Kageyama noticed Hinata’s eyes were sparkling brightly and his hair was all messy from his hands in it. His cheeks were flushed and he smiled at Kageyama, obviously relieved that he wasn’t about to be murdered.

How could Kageyama be angry for real when he was looking at him like that?

Hinata’s hair had gotten longer, and the way it curled around his ears and the nape of his neck was _so damn distracting_. Kageyama gently tugged at one of the orange locks before shoving Hinata’s face down into the pillow so that he wouldn’t be tempted to run his hands through the soft curls.

“You’re not mad at me?” Hinata’s muffled voice asked. 

“Nah, idiot. But I might need some help getting it out..” 

“Bring me the scissors!!” Hinata shouted with just a _bit_ too much enthusiasm. 

  
~  
  


“I kind of like it!” Hinata smiled at him as they walked to Tanaka's house on their way to a small early graduation party. “I can see your eyes better this way, and you look kind of like a baby instead of a-“ he dropped his voice an octave lower “‘gwahh look at me I’m so scary and cool, kneel before me’ kind of person!”

“I don’t want to look like a baby, you idiot” Kageyama mumbled with his hands shoved into his pockets. “But I guess it’s better than the mess that your hair is becoming.”

 _Liar_.

He fucking _loved_ Hinata’s hair. 

When it fell into his eyes, Kageyama died a little inside. He wanted to brush it aside, run his hands through it, and _grip it tightly as Hinata’s lips wrap around his cock-_ but he somehow managed to keep his hands to himself. 

They reached Tanaka's house, and could hear yelling combined with loud music before they even entered the front door. 

“The famous duo themselves!!!!” Noya screamed as he attacked them as soon as they entered the house. “Whoa! Shouyou your hair is so cool! Bwahahaha Kageyama your hair is short!!” 

“That’s this moron's fault.” He grumbled 

“It’s not my fault your hair decided to eat my gum, Bakageyama!!” Hhinata yelled before running over to grab Noya’s hands. 

The two shorties began speaking loudly in their crackhead language as Kageyama surveyed the room. 

He had been surprised to receive Ennoshita’s text the week before, asking if they’d like to have a small party to celebrate graduation. They had a couple months of school left to go, but they had agreed it would be best to have the party early to also celebrate how far they had made it during the Spring Tournament.

Karasuno had placed third in the nation. 

“Congratulations on how far you made it at nationals!!” Suga slapped him on the shoulder. “I hope you’ve been telling those reporters that you learned everything from your awesome senpai!” Suga winked at him.

“Yes” 

Kageyama glanced around at all the people laughing and talking with each other.

Somehow, Tanaka had already taken off his shirt and was swinging it around with one hand and his other hand…

 _Huh_.. 

Was grasping Kiyoko’s hand?? And she was blushing and smiling??

Kageyama’s eyes quickly found Yachi who was across the room cleaning up the mess that Noya and Hinata had somehow already caused. She kept glancing at Kiyoko, and Kageyama remembered what Hinata had told him months ago about her confessing to the other girl. 

“Kageyama!!” A voice pulled him from his thoughts and he turned to see Narita and Kinoshita walk in through the front door. “You’ve gotten so big!!”

“Hasn’t he? It’s so annoying, right??” Hinata was somehow back at his side and casually wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s waist. “No fair” he muttered quietly as he stuck out his lower lip.

Kageyama smiled at his expression and leaned down to whisper “I’ll always be beating you when it comes to height.” 

He smirked as Hinata glared at him. 

“You two sure have gotten close.” Daichi smiled at them. 

“Yeah! I noticed that as soon as you guys walked in! You seem even more freakishly connected!!” Noya yelled from across the room. 

Daichi laughed as he slapped Kageyama on the shoulder, much harder than Suga had earlier. “It’s good to see you guys again.”

The next couple hours passed in a blur, as they caught up with everyone from the old team. 

Seeing them all again made Kageyama realize how much he had missed them. He wished they would’ve gone further in nationals together during his first year and could’ve played longer together.   
  


~  
  


“Daichi’s gone, you know what that means!!!!” Tanaka yelled as he returned from the kitchen, various kinds of alcohol clutched in both hands. 

“Um- just because he’s gone-“ Asahi started before he was cut off by Noya yelling, “AWWW YEAH!!! Let’s get this party started!!!!” 

_Wait. Was this allowed?_

Daichi had left because he had an exam in one of his university classes the next morning, and it was getting late. Everyone else had already planned on staying the night. 

“It’s my big sister's stash so don’t tell her I took it!!” Tanaka laughed as he began opening various bottles. 

“Uwahhhh this is a real life grown up party!!” Hinata yelled with his eyes sparkling.

“Us underaged kids probably shouldn’t have any.” Yamaguchi laughed.

Kageyama nodded. Alcohol was a bad idea for people with secrets about being in love with their best friends. Don’t people in movies always end up making confessions when they drink and do dumb stuff like make out and have sex? 

_Definitely don’t wanna do that… not at all._. 

“Yeah Hinata!” Yachi said, grabbing the orange haired boy's hand “you shouldn’t have any, you’re talkative enough as it is and uhh we don’t need any more of that!” She glanced quickly at Kageyama. 

“Ohhhh you’re right!!! None for me, thanks!” Hinata smiled brightly. 

“But what if it tastes like strawberries??” Tanaka wiggled his eyebrows. “C’mon! You graduating kids are the guests of honor!!”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” An excited sounding Nishinoya cut in. “But if you guys really don’t want to, no one’s forcing you to!! More for us!” He quickly knocked back a shot and started filling up a few more. 

_What’s the worst that could happen? Uh… confessing to Hinata ? Ruining our friendship ? Make things weird right before we graduate ?_

So much could happen and Kageyama knew it. But… part of him was curious .. 

“If it’s just a little bit, it should be okay!” Yamaguchi said, grabbing a cup for himself and another that he brought over to a bored looking Tsukishima.

“Here, Hinata! This one’s nice and sweet, I think you’ll like it!” Noya explained as he passed him a bottle of suspiciously bright colored pink liquid. Nothing that color could be healthy.

“Would you like one, Kageyama?” Noya asked

Kageyama just shook his head and scowled at the drink, wondering if it would dye people’s insides that color as well. 

“He doesn’t really like sweet things!” Hinata explained as he took a sip. His nose scrunched up at the taste and he stuck his tongue out. “Bleh!... Wait.. it tastes like.. weird candy??” He licked his lips and took another bigger drink.

Before Kageyama knew it, someone had placed a cup of something into his own hands. Thankfully, it wasn’t bright pink. 

Kiyoko wrinkled her nose and mumbled something to Yachi before quietly excusing the two of them to go watch some tv in the other room. Before they left, Yachi whispered something into Hinata's ear and looked at him inquisitively. He shot her a bright smile and a thumbs up before pushing her towards the other room. She looked hesitant, but followed Kiyoko who had offered to anyone that they could join if they didn’t want to drink. Both Ennoshita and Asahi followed them.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, someone suggested they play a drinking game. 

“Never have I ever!!” Suga yelled, and was met with hearty agreement by a few of the older boys.

_Huh? What’s that?_

Kageyama was too scared to ask because maybe this was one of those things everyone already knew except for him. There were a lot of those. 

“How do you play?” Hinata asked loudly as he reached over to squeeze Kageyama’s hand. The other boys started sitting in a circle on the floor, so Hinata led the two of them to sit as well. 

“What? You don’t know, Hinata?!” 

Hinata laughed and glanced at Kageyama quickly, as if he could someone sense his confusion and discomfort. “Nope! Never played!” 

Kageyama gave his hand a small return squeeze. 

“Basically one person says something they’ve never done, and anyone who has done it takes a drink!” Tanaka explained. “Let’s get started!! I’ll start! Never have I ever kissed someone of the same gender!” 

“Whoa, starting with that right away?!” Suga laughed as he took a drink. 

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima both took a drink as well. 

_What the fuck?? Maybe it is a normal thing after all._

He wasn’t ready for that question so soon. Shouldn’t it have been asked later once he was already nicely buzzed and didn’t mind everyone knowing he’d kissed a boy before?? 

Hinata took a large drink and wiped his lips, beaming at everyone’s shocked faces. Kageyama might have laughed at their wide open eyes and mouths if they didn’t immediately turn to him as he raised his own glass to his lips. 

It burned as he swallowed, and he was almost thankful for the distraction it gave him from everyone staring at him. 

“I’m next!” Yamaguchi chimed in. “Never have I ever been a setter!”

Kageyama hated having to take another drink so soon, but found that it wasn’t quite as nasty the second time. Suga drank his with ease. 

“Never have I ever been shorter than 180cm while in high-school” Tsukishima said with a smirk. 

Kageyama was about that height during his first year, and was the only one who didn’t have to drink. 

_That bastard._

“Never have I ever been drunk!!” Hinata yelled. 

Suga, Tanaka, Noya, and Narita all drank. 

It was Kageyama’s turn, but he didn’t know what to ask. It took him a second before he said “never have I ever scored above an 80 on a test.”

Everyone drank except for Hinata, Tanaka, and Noya. 

“C’mon! I was close one time!!” Noya groaned as Suga rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Never have I ever been scared of the dark!!”

Hinata was the only one to drink, and finished off his bottle of whatever the fuck he was drinking. His poor organs.

“Never have I ever dated someone.” Narita mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

Everyone except Kageyama drank. He ignored the surprised glances he received from a few of his previous teammates. 

“Never have I ever worn crocs.” Kinoshita said with a grin. 

Hinata, Noya, and Tsukishima all drank. 

Kageyama noticed that Hinata’s cheeks were beginning to look flushed, and he seemed to be smiling even more than he normally did. The small boy had drunk most rounds, so he supposed it wasn’t too surprising. 

Kageyama still felt pretty normal, but he hadn’t had much yet.

As the night progressed, that slowly changed. The more people drank, the looser they got and the questions slowly morphed into more personal ones. 

And Hinata was getting giggly..

Something wouldn’t even be that funny, but would still set him off on another round of giggles and he’d lean into Kageyama’s space, touch his arm, or play with his hands.

It was driving Kageyama absolutely insane. 

He was starting to feel lightheaded, and the more Hinata touched him, the worse it got. 

“Never have I ever kissed someone with tongue.” Yamaguchi confessed

Many of the others drank, and Kageyama’a forced down a pang of jealousy seeing Hinata raise his drink to his lips. 

He thought about what it would feel like to have Hinata’s tongue in his mouth, and felt his cheeks heating up.

_Just blame it on the alcohol._

“Never have I ever had a sexual dream about one of my teammates.” Tanaka said, words slurring ever so slightly. 

Kageyama took a big sip. 

Why does everyone keep looking at him in surprise, as if they didn’t realize he also was a teenage boy with teenage boy thoughts??

Hinata’s mouth opened in a small “o” shape and he stared at Kageyama with glossy, heavy lidded eyes. He never broke eye contact as he raised his own glass up to his lips. 

Kageyama swallowed deeply and didn’t even notice who else drank. He was too focused on the way Hinata was staring at him.

Kageyama stared right back, feeling a lot more confident than he ever had off the court. 

“Never have I ever taken nudes” Tsukki mumbled, cheeks flushed from his drink. 

Everyone started yelling at once as Hinata giggled and took another long swig of his drink. How much had the poor boy had??

“Hinata?? No, you’re too innocent!!!” Suga gasped, mouth open and relatively unaffected by the large amount he had already drank. 

Hinata finally looked a little embarrassed as he waved his hands in front of his face, a lot less coordinated than normal. “I-I didn’t send them to anyoneee It was just for fun~!” He giggled again and swayed where he sat, his cheeks very red.

Kageyama tried not to imagine those pictures. He really did. 

Maybe alcohol caused boners? Was that possible? He subtly reached behind him for a pillow on the couch to place on his lap, but missed the pillow on the first try. Why was it so hard to see? And why was the room so hot? 

“Okay I think it’s time for us to switch it up a little!!” Noya yelled, also with glossy eyes. “Truth or dare!!”

“Heck yeah!!!” Hinata yelled, rocking backwards and taking another big drink. Would he die if he drank too much of that pink stuff? There had to be a limit for his little body, right? 

“I’ll start!” Yamaguchi giggled, “Tanaka truth or dare?”

“A man always chooses dare!” He puffed out his chest. 

“I dare you to go make out with Kiyo-“ 

Yamaguchi hadn’t even finished the sentence before Tanaka was up on wobbly legs, stumbling his way to the other room. 

He returned a few minutes later, grinning from ear to ear. “Kageyama-“

_Oh please no_

“Truth or dare?”

_If I pick truth, what if he asks me who I like? But this is Tanaka, and he probably has some terrifying dare already planned._

“Truth”

“Would you ever bottom??”

Kageyama breathed out a small sigh of relief “fuck yeah.”

He thought he heard Hinata’s breath catch from beside him, but it was drowned out when Tanaka and Noya cheered for him loudly and clinked their bottle to Kageyama’s. They all took another big drink. 

Kageyama wasn’t sure who to ask, and didn’t want to be too obvious by daring Hinata to sit on his lap or anything like that- “Tsukkishima. Truth or dare.”

Tsukki regarded him for a minute, glaring, “dare.”

“I dare you to chug the rest of your drink.”

He’d noticed Tuskishima hadn’t drank much and still seemed too in control and it _wasn’t fair._

Kageyama was slowly losing control himself, and he needed to drag Tsukishima down with him. He could tell the other boy understood his reasoning as he glared at him the whole time he drank. 

Hinata giggled and leaned against Kageyama and oh- that got his attention. Everywhere Hinata touched _burned_ and he needed more, more, more. His mind had a pleasant fuzzy feeling and his chest felt so light. 

Tsukki had that familiar glint in his eyes that he wasn’t about to back down as he asked “Hinata. Truth or dare.”

“Mmmmmm.” Hinata’s head lolled “Truth~ heh” 

“Why did you kiss Kageyama during nationals in our first year?”

“What?? He did??” Kinoshita gasped. 

“How did you miss it? He did it in front of everyone and I almost threw up.” Tsukki muttered. 

“I missed it too!” Suga said, wide eyed. A few of the other boys nodded their heads and looked at Hinata, awaiting his answer. 

Hinata giggled “‘cause I just wanted toooo” he leaned even further into Kageyama’s space.

“That’s not a good answer!” Tsukki spit out. “Why did you really??”

“Technically,” Suga said raising his hand “that is an answer”

Tsukishima said something in response, throwing his hands up in frustration, but Kageyama wasn’t listening. Hinata’s small hand slid to his thigh and all thoughts left his mind. 

The next few rounds, he was so focused on the feeling of Hinata’s body against his own and that damn hand on his thigh, that he wasn’t sure what was going on. He thought someone must have taken a shot of hot sauce as a dare, and the screaming helped to bring him back to reality. 

“Kageyama“ Suga asked, the alcohol definitely starting to affect the older boy as he reached for his drink and knocked it over.”Truth or dare” 

“Truth” his head was buzzing. 

“Who do you most want to kiss in this room-“

_Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss._

“If you insist, this idiot.“ He clumsily reached for Hinata and grabbed onto his arm. 

Without hesitation, the smaller boy crawled onto his lap, wrapping his legs around Kageyama’s waist and draping his arms over his shoulders.

“Wait no,” Suga began “it wasn’t a dare-“

“It’s the rules. We gotta do it.” Hinata mumbled, eyes half closed as he stared intently at Kageyama’s lips while licking his own. 

“Yeah. It's the rules of the game.” Kageyama mumbled in a daze before dipping his head down to crush their lips together.

 _Shit_. 

It was a harsh, messy kiss that hurt a little bit, but Hinata gasped against his lips while arching against his body and _ohhh_ this was _real_ good. He could taste Hinata’s sickeningly sweet drink on his lips and somehow couldn’t get enough of it. He didn’t normally like sweet tasting things but _damn_. 

Kageyama ran his hands through Hinata’s hair, tugging as he deepened the kiss and Hinata _moaned_ into his mouth before shoving his warm, spitty tongue into Kageyama’s mouth. This time, they both gasped at the feeling. Hinata dug his hands into Kageyama’s shoulders before running his hands frantically over whatever muscles he could find, whether that was on his back, his arms, or his chest. 

Hinata’s lips moved roughly against his, and Kageyama keened as Hinata licked deeper into his mouth and nipped harshly at his lip. They had always been rough with each other, and as he tasted blood he knew this wouldn’t be any different. 

_Oh fuck_

Hinata ground his hips against him, and Kageyama groaned as the feeling sent waves of pleasure through his whole body. The waves jolted him just enough to remember that they had an audience and he pulled back, gently placing his hand against Hinata’s chest to keep him from chasing his mouth. The smaller boy whined and tried to pull him back down to force their lips together again.

Kageyama covered his mouth with his hand, and looked wide eyed to everyone who was staring with their mouths hanging open. 

He recoiled as he felt Hinata’s tongue run against his palm, but would be lying if he said it didn’t cause jolts of electricity to run down his spine. “Did you just fucking lick me, runt??” 

Hinata giggled and _fuck_ he was so drunk.

“Wasn’t that what he was just doing?” Noya muttered before bursting out laughing. 

“You two are fucking disgusting.” Tsukki pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. 

“Yeah! Get a room you guys!” Yamaguchi laughed as he punched Tsukishima’s arm. 

Kageyama’s face was _burning_ , and he knew it wasn’t just the alcohol. 

“Okay~!” Hinata unsteadily jumped up from his lap and _wait_ \- 

_What_. 

The small boy cheerfully grabbed Kageyama’s wrist and pulled him up where the two of them swayed and held on to each other to stay upright. 

_Why’s the ground moving like that._

“Wait, I wasn’t serious!!” Yamaguchi laughed harder. 

“You two are in the last door on the left.” Tanaka said, also laughing. “Please don’t make a mess, and keep the noise level down!!” He took another drink before crumpling his empty can. 

Hinata didn’t waste a second as he pulled Kageyama towards the room, shoving him inside once they reached the door, and closing it behind him. 

Kageyama took a second to try and process _what the fuck_ was happening, but Hinata roughly pushed him backwards onto the bed, straddling him as he shoved Kageyama’s shirt up and fiercly began kissing him, running his small hands all over his abs, nibbling at his lips and running his tongue hotly along their seam. 

_Fuckkkk_

Kageyama groaned as he opened his mouth against him and ran his hands up Hinata’s strong back below his shirt. Hinata whimpered into his mouth, and Kageyama somehow became impossibly harder. His dick was _aching_ , and he couldn’t stop his hips from rutting up against Hinata’s own hardness. Stars burst behind his closed eyelids. 

Hinata gasped loudly and leaned back, bracing his hands on Kageyama’s chest to get better leverage to grind against him.

A string of curses left Kageyama’s lips and he threw his head back against the pillow. 

It felt _so fucking good._

It felt even better than he imagined, and he didn’t know if he could ever stop chasing this feeling. 

But he couldn’t fight down the bubble of guilt that was slowly building inside of him alongside his approaching orgasm.

They were _drunk_. 

Hinata was especially drunk. 

_Would he even want to do this if he wasn't?_

“Shit, Hi-Hinata, wait.” He grit out through clenched teeth. 

Hinata’s hips slowed, but he continued to move against Kageyama’s length, and it was so damn hard to focus. 

Kageyama gripped his hips tightly, and marveled at the muscle he could feel below Hinata’s shorts. “Hinata, stop.” He choked out.

As drunk as he was, Hinata stopped moving his hips instantly and jumped off of Kageyama’s lap, moving much less gracefully than normal. 

His glossy eyes were filled with concern and he asked in a small voice, “what? Did I do something wrong?” 

“ _Fuck_. No, that’s not it, idiot.” Kageyama was having a hard time thinking. Why did he tell him to stop? His dick strained against his shorts and he felt like he’d explode if he didn’t get himself off. 

His toes curled in frustration, but as he looked at Hinata’s sad face, tears welling in his eyes, he remembered why they couldn’t do this. It would completely mess things up. What if Hinata thought it was just for sexual release and felt used? 

Hinata was so drunk, Kageyama felt like he was taking advantage of him no matter how willing Hinata seemed. 

It wasn’t right.

How could he put it into words when his tongue didn’t seem to want to work any more? 

“Fuck, Hinata. Just.. we’re drunk.”

Hinata nodded, but hurt still ringed his brown eyes as he blinked. His eyelashes brushing against flushed cheeks stole the breath from Kageyama’s lungs. Hinata’s perfect lips were red and swollen from kissing, and Kageyama longed to capture them with his own once again. 

_Damn it, he’s so beautiful._

Through the darkness in the room, Kageyama could make out his soft face, freckles standing out in the moonlight streaming through a single window. His hair was messy from Kageyama’s hands, and Kageyama wanted to run his hands through it again. He allowed himself to reach out and push it out of the way from Hinata’s eyes and marveled once again how soft it felt between his fingers. 

His heartbeat was beginning to slow down somewhat, and Hinata’s eyes closed as he enjoyed the feeling of Kageyama’s hand in his hair. 

Hinata reached his hand up to hold Kageyama’s hand in place, and leaned into the touch. 

Kageyama’s heart rate sped up again. 

“Okay. Just.. stay with me.” Hinata mumbled. 

“I will.” Kageyama said softly.

_I always will._

  
.｡~☆~｡.

The next morning, Kageyama woke up with one of the worst headaches he’d ever had in his life. 

He groggily opened his eyes, squinting as the light coming through the window was just _too bright_. 

Hinata stumbled through the door wiping his mouth looking worse than Kageyama felt, and his two brain cells didn’t have to work too hard to guess what he had just been doing. His own stomach rolled as he moved to sit up, and he hadn’t even been as drunk as Hinata had been.

“This sucks” Hinata mumbled, stumbling his way back to the bed. “I’m never doing that again!”

“No shit. You look like crap.” 

“You look worse, you jerk.” Hinata gave him a small smile that caused Kageyama’s heart to leap in his chest. 

“You’re not.. mad about last night?” Kageyama asked hesitantly.

“No. Why should I be? Did you do something pervy to me, Yamayama-kun?!” Hinata’s eyebrows rose and his bloodshot eyes still managed to sparkle with amusement. 

“Wait.. you mean you don’t remember?” 

“Nope!” Hinata’s eyes darted around the room and he rubbed the back of his head. “Not really anyways. What happened?”

 _Should I tell him?_

“Well.. they dared us to kiss and it was embarrassing as hell.” Not _technically_ a full lie. 

Hinata started laughing but winced and held his head. “I bet you were a sucky kisser anyways”

“You were worse”

He was incredible, but Kageyama wasn’t about to say that.

“Oh yeah? I don’t believe that. I’m way better than you!” Hinata tried to yell, but it was quiet by his standards. There was that certain competitive look in his eyes that Kageyama loved, but before he could even respond, his stomach turned and _oh shit_ \- he didn’t feel so good. 

Hinata started laughing at his pain, the little jerk, and Kageyama would’ve hit him with his pillow if they both weren’t in so much pain. 

As hard as it had been, Kageyama was glad he had stopped things when he did the night before. 

He tried imagining how Hinata's big innocent eyes would’ve looked as he asked “did we do anything?” 

Kageyama’s heart just might have shattered right then and there if they had done something, and Hinata hadn’t wanted it

As it was, he felt guilty enough.

He left to brush his teeth and afterwards, smelled the delicious aroma of breakfast cooking wafting from the kitchen. He entered it and was surprised to find Asahi cooking breakfast for anyone who was up. 

Kageyama thanked him and did his best to ignore the way Asahi blushed and wouldn’t meet his eyes.. 

He marveled at how fast word had spread as he carried back miso soup and rice with fried egg on top for him and Hinata, balancing the tray delicately with one hand and a pitcher of water in his other. He pushed open the door with his foot and saw that Hinata was curled up in bed again, but was thankfully still awake. 

They devoured the breakfast, sitting cross legged on the bed together in comfortable silence (who knew it would take a hangover to get Hinata’s impossibly big mouth to stop talking?)

After Kageyama had some food, plenty of water, and a few painkillers he was starting to feel just slightly better and a little more human. 

Hinata must have been feeling the same as he yawned and rubbed his stomach in satisfaction before face planting on the bed, pulling the blanket up to his chin, and reaching his arms out for Kageyama. 

Kagetana set the tray aside, and was quickly wrapped up in Hinata’s little grabby arms. 

Not that he was complaining. 

With a belly full of food and Hinata snuggled up against him, his worries about the night before soon seemed far away as he drifted off to sleep breathing in the smell of oranges and sunshine. 

Quiet mornings like this were his favorite.

  
.. Even if he did feel like shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama swore 21 times this chapter. (´⊙ω⊙`)
> 
> Finally.. they get a little action that isn’t just dreaming and jerking off … y’all have waited 54,000+ words how ya feelin? We’re over halfway to the real stuff!!!
> 
> I almost added Asahi wearing a cute apron while he was making breakfast but thought it might be just a bit too ooc....
> 
> ALSO .. unpopular opinion but I love Kageyama’s little choppy bangs and he looks so baby with them :’) 
> 
> Come find me on IG @sundance10_art!! I post sneak peaks and cool art and love talking to anyone about anything :)


	24. Operation: Enjoy Being Young

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter of these boys in high-school :(

Hinata remembered everything that had happened between him and Kageyama. 

In fact.. he couldn’t _stop_ remembering, and it was starting to be a HUGE problem. 

The memories were hazy at best, but that didn’t hold him back from zoning out during class (even more than normal). The thought of Kageyama’s needy sounds quickly replaced the droning of his teacher’s voice. (He failed his test).

While playing volleyball together, watching Kageyama’s talented hands set the ball only reminded him of those same hands digging into his hips and running through his hair. (He forgot to spike the ball).

When Kageyama would wipe the sweat off his forehead with his shirt, Hinata would stare open mouthed at his exposed abs and remember what they felt like below his hands. 

His whole week was like that, and when he was alone in the silence of his own room, he’d replay everything in his mind once again and imagine the feeling of how good and how _big_ Kageyama had felt against him. His vivid imagination suggested to him what would’ve happened if Kageyama hadn’t stopped them that night.

Hinata had wanted to feel Kageyama against him without their shorts in the way, had wanted him in his mouth, had wanted him inside of him. 

He whimpered as he gently slid one of his own fingers inside of himself up to the knuckle, and sped up the movement of his hand on his dick to distract himself from the uncomfortable intrusion. Hinata never felt comfortable doing this in the middle of the day with his family around, but he _needed_ to find release in order to even hope to focus for the rest of the evening. 

Kageyama’s face, flushed and wanting entered his mind for the bazillionth time, and he bit his lip hard enough to taste blood as he felt his gut clench almost painfully in pleasure. Of all the faces he loved seeing Kageyama make, that one was his favorite and had been the most unexpected. Hinata hadn’t known what Kageyama would look like in that situation, maybe flushed with a little scowl, but he had been so _into it._

He slowly eased in another slick finger, and exhaled a quick breath at the feeling. He moved his fingers around, and his legs spread open at the feeling as sparks of pleasure shot up his body. He couldn’t get either finger in very deep with the position he was in, not to mention his fingers were small to begin with. 

Hinata imagined how it would feel to have Kageyama’s fingers inside of him, much larger than his own, working him open with the same hands that were so extremely talented when it came to volleyball.

Would he be gentle with Hinata? Or would he be rough and impatient?

He hit something inside of him just right, and without warning, came all over his hands with a suppressed moan.

Hinata felt tremors course through his small body, and as he came down off his high and felt his heart rate slow, sighed in frustration. 

He had only taken the edge off. 

He snapped the lid on the small tube of lube, and forced down the pang of embarrassment that arose every time he looked at it. It had been a “gift” from Suga after the night at Tanaka’s. 

Hinata wanted to die a little bit every time he remembered how the older boy had pulled him aside after he and Kageyama finally woke up from their nap and timidly left the room. Apparently, most of the others had already left, but Suga had stuck around to make sure “they were okay”.. He had asked if they were finally together, and was very disappointed when Hinata had said they weren’t. Even so, with a wink and much optimism, Suga had given him a small, unopened travel bottle of lube that he said he always carried with him “just in case.”

The thought of his senpai ever doing something like that made him gag. It was like finding out his parents had to have had sex at one point since he existed. 

He shuddered at the thought as he stood up on wobbly legs to clean himself up, eyes widening as he heard Kageyama’s voice mingled with his moms float down the hall. 

_Aw crap, what’s he doing here??_

Despite the moment of panic, his heart leapt in his chest at the sound of the other boy's deep voice, and he was low-key elated that he decided to visit. 

He was also happy that Kageyama was at that level where he felt comfortable walking into his home uninvited and talking with his family. Hinata smiled as he remembered how stiff Kageyama had been around them their first year.

Not looking at what he put on, Hinata struggled to get his arms in the right holes as he threw on a shirt and sweatpants. He tossed his dirty clothes in the basket as he ran out into the hall, socked feet slipping on the hard floor. 

After quickly washing his hands, he gracefully (or not so gracefully) slid into the other room and saw Kageyama sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of milk and eating whatever snack his mom had decided to bake that day. 

“Idiot, you’re so- hey! I had looked everywhere for that shirt!” He sat up straighter in shock. “You fuc- you uh thief!!” 

On reflex, Hinata screamed “it’s my shirt!!” but glanced down to read ‘setter soul.’ He realized.. it was in fact, not his shirt. 

“Whatever.” Kageyama’s cheeks were pink. “It probably doesn’t even fit me anymore.”

And he was probably right. Kageyama’s shoulders and chest had gotten a lot broader, much to Hinata’s appreciation. 

He did his best not to stare, still too sensitive from what he had been doing not 2 minutes previous. 

Hinata worried the hem of the shirt between his fingers, and realized Kageyama must have left it during some sleepover a long time ago. Oops..

The fabric was soft from being worn so much, and he smiled remembering how cute Kageyama had been their first year. They’d been _so_ _young._

Hinata’s mom cleared her throat, “cookies, Shouyou?” She smiled sweetly. 

As he helped himself to one, Kageyama said “I brought this over, I was just showing your mom.” He held out a magazine that Hinata recognized as Volleyball monthly. 

“Huh?? What is it?!” He bounced onto the couch beside Kageyama, and tucked his feet up underneath the shirt that was a little too large on him (how didn’t he realize that before?)

He smiled as he noticed the way Kageyama subconsciously leaned into him, as if pulled against him without a choice like a magnet.

In the highschool section, Kageyama was pointing to a small article in the corner. “It’s about us, dumbass.” His eyes were shining with happiness even though Hinata could tell he was trying to hide it. 

“UWAHHhhh really??! That’s so cool! We’re famous!! Did you see this, mom??” He bounced up and down on the couch in excitement.

“I saw! You’ll have to read it. I’ll leave you boys to it.” She winked as she left the room, thankfully leaving the cookies behind. 

Hinata grabbed a handful of them now that she wasn’t there and began eating them, enjoying the sweetness on his tongue as they started reading together.

It was a small (well written in Hinata’s humble opinion) article about the “fearsome duo that had shaken the world at the Spring Interhigh Tournament.” 

“This must have been from that one reporter who had interviewed us afterwards.” Kageyama said, smiling. “You were so nervous, do you even remember that it happened?” 

Hinata frowned “yes!! At least I showed some emotion unlike you, expressionless-yama!” He pinched his arm.

After a brief pinching competition, they continued reading the article.

“Bwahaha!! Kageyama look, ‘eyewitnesses from the Spring Interhigh during their first year in high school said they even saw the duo swap a kiss after the match. What a great friendship!’” Hinata couldn’t help giggle. ‘ _What a great friendship_.’

Kageyama’s eyebrows just furrowed, and he looked at Hinata with confusion, “what?”

“It’s just so funny how they think boys kissing is just friendship!! Like there isn’t any other option.” Hinata blurted without thinking (a bad habit of his). 

When his brain caught up to him however, he realized what conversation he was starting. 

“But..” Kageyama began, face scrunching up further in thought, “wasn’t it just friendship?” 

_He’s so stupid.._

_cute.._

_But what the heck do I say?_

“I’m just sayin! It’s funny how they worded it.” He quickly looked back to the article with his cheeks a little warmer than they had been before. He could feel Kageyama’s gaze on him for a moment more before he too continued reading. 

Hinata’s heart felt all warm and gwahh reading the article, and maybe that had something to do with being cuddled up against a certain tall, grumpy boy who sort of always made his heart feel that way. 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

It was an early spring in the Miyagi prefecture that year, and by late March, the warm sunshine had caused the cherry blossoms to be in full bloom and everything was _so_ _green_ and _so beautiful!!_

This was Hinata’s favorite time of year because everywhere he looked everything was full of color and happiness!! He basked in the warmth of the sun, smiling as the soft rays warmed his skin. 

_Gwaaahhhhh this is so nice!_

He had more energy peddling to school that morning, and made it in record time. As he was putting his bike away, humming at how excited he was to beat Kageyama, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. 

He whipped his head around and locked eyes with the person he had just been singing about, and instantly took off towards the gym, having only a small head start. Hinata’s legs were tired from his long bike ride into school, but that didn’t slow him down, and he beat Kageyama with only inches to spare.

They lay outside the club room door trying to catch their breath, and Hinata watched as Kageyama’s chest rose and fell rapidly. The way his sweat had stuck his short bangs to his forehead was almost as distracting as the way his lips parted as he gasped for air. Blue eyes slid to his own, and Hinata quickly swallowed and looked away. 

He fumbled for the keys in his pocket, remembering the days during his first year they had to wait for their senpai to open up the gym for them. Hinata smiled as he returned to look at the boy beside him, realizing how much they both had changed. 

“You wanna fight?” Kageyama asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

Hinata’s heart leapt “you know I always want to!” He jumped up to unlock the door and felt his stomach flip as Kageyama stood up behind him, standing _way_ too close. His warm breath on the back of Hinata’s neck caused the hair to stand up and shivers run down his spine where they settled in his lower stomach. 

He bit his lip as he imagined just leaning back.. maybe pressing up against-

“Can you two idiots not even get your shared brain cell to work properly enough to open a door?” A bored voice drawled from behind them. Hinata turned his head to see Tsukishima walking up, eating a muffin. 

“Fuck off.” Kageyama muttered, and Hinata noticed with much satisfaction that even with Tsukki there, he didn’t back away. 

To prove that Hinata did in fact know how to open the door, he tried to jam the key into the keyhole a bit too quick, ended up missing, and dropped the keys. Sighing, he quickly bent down to pick up the keys and felt his shirt ride up, the cool air brushing against the skin of his lower back. With the sudden moment, his ass bumped lightly against Kageyama’s thigh. 

Behind him, Kageyama made a small sound in the back of his throat, and Tsukishima (that jerk) was quick to notice.

“Absolutely nasty. Right in front of my breakfast.” He clicked his tongue in disgust.

“What are you even doing here?!” Hinata yelled in an attempt to change the subject. 

Since their volleyball season was over, the team didn’t have group practice anymore, but Hinata was allowed to keep the keys to the gym until the end of the school year, as long as they cleaned up well after themselves.

Kageyama and Hinata continued practicing together before class. The sound of the volleyball hitting the ground and the squeaking of gym shoes always started Hinata’s day off right, and he enjoyed being there with Kageyama all to himself. He loved having his setters full attention, every ball he put up meant for Hinata. 

Not only that, but in the early morning Kageyama tended to have a slight vulnerability to him. Not as much as when he had just woken up, but it was still there around the corners of his eyes and mouth. 

All signs of vulnerability were gone, however, as he glared at Tsukishima. 

The blonde just rolled his eyes “sorry to interrupt whatever you two get up to in here every morning, but I just felt like getting a little practice in or whatever.” 

“Wow!! Me too!” Yamaguchi called, waving as he hurried up to them. “Looks like we’re all thinking the same thing today!”

Hinata laughed at that and the four boys quickly entered the club room to change into their gym clothes (see, he could open doors). 

  
.｡~☆~｡.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do after graduation, dumbass?” Kageyama asked, watching him with that same focused look he gets on the court that never failed to excite Hinata. 

The two boys were sitting together on the stairs of an outdoor park, drinking from their water bottles and trying to cool off after practicing volleyball all afternoon. 

“I think so!” Hinata smiled and wiped his mouth. “Coach Washijō said I should take a year to prepare, and there’s this group in Tokyo I’m thinking about applying for that plays mainly indoors but sometimes organizes beach games!”

Kageyama mumbled a brief “oh” and drank heavily from his water bottle. 

It had been humid all day, and Hinata noticed how the hair curled slightly around the nape of Kageyama’s neck. The air was thick around them, and the dark, threatening clouds on the horizon were heavy with rain. 

The silence before the incoming storm hung heavily between them, as even the cicadas were quiet. 

Kageyama broke the silence first, “also, I was right, shrimp, I’ve been scouted by a bunch of v-league teams and I’ve not even out of highschool yet.” He smiled at Hinata challengingly. 

“WHAT!? No fair, really?!”

“Fuck yeah.” 

“Uwaahhhh I knew it.” Hinata huffed out a breath and rested his chin on his hands. 

Kageyama was still so far out of reach. He needed to be better, he needed to beat him!!

He watched as the treetops stirred in an invisible wind, the temperature slowly dropping around them, and Hinata gladly welcomed the cooler air.

It was still so quiet, and he loved the way the whole earth seemed to pause before a rain, as if it was holding its breath. 

His eyes once again moved to the taller boy beside him and watched the corner of Kageyama’s mouth turn up as he roughly brushed his hand through Hinata’s hair, making it stick up wildly.

“Dumbass” he mumbled. “It’s going to rain soon, so you should probably head home.” The universe must have been on Kageyama’s side that day, because for dramatic effect, a thunderclap sounded in the distance. 

“Bwahahaha Kageyama did you hear that?!” 

“I planned that.”

“You idiot” Hinata smiled fondly as Kageyama stood up, towering above him.

The stormy grey clouds complimented his dark hair, and Hinata marveled at how incredibly deep the blue in his eyes were. His eyelashes brushed his cheeks as he blinked and held out his hand to Hinata who didn’t hesitate to grasp it. Neither of them let go once he had jumped up onto his feet. 

The anticipation of rain may have caused the world to hold its breath, but Hinata found himself holding his own as he looked up at how close Kageyama was to him, how he wasn’t moving away. 

Hinata suddenly felt the pinpricks of rainfall against his hair and skin, gentle and warm, and the two boys looked up in wonder at the soft spring rain that began as a soft pitter-pattering, but soon picked up in tempo. 

They laughed wildly as they took off running towards shelter, their shoes splashing in rapidly forming puddles and slipping in the mud below them. 

They made it below an overhang on a bathroom building near a grassy area of the park, and Kageyama held Hinata close against him as they leaned against the wall, temporarily safe from the rain.

The instantly formed rivers raced along the gutters and cascaded over the rocks in the path, and the sweet smelling air was absolutely intoxicating. The rhythm of the droplets against the ground beat rhythmically and Hinata felt his eyes close, taking in the moment. 

However, just listening to the rain wasn’t enough.

Hinata stepped out from under the overhang and turned his face up towards the sky to revel in the feeling of the small droplets running down his forehead, across the bridge of his nose, down his cheeks. He smiled brightly as he opened his eyes to look at Kageyama. 

He knew he had already been watching.

The downpour was cool against his flushed skin, and the rich smell of spring surrounded the two boys as it mingled with the scent of the nearby cherry blossoms. 

Hinata held out his arms as the pitter-pattering of raindrops beat a steady rhythm in the back of his mind, and he wanted to move his body to the soft music it created. 

“Dance with me.” 

Kageyama’s eyes widened. “W-what-? No way.” 

Hinata kicked off his squishy sounding shoes and soaked socks, enjoying the feel of soft grass beneath his toes as he reached out to tug on Kageyama’s arm.

He stared, wide eyed and cheeks red. “No, dumbass.”

“I’m calling in my one thing” Hinata said, determined. He wanted to be close to Kageyama so bad. Wanted to have this moment before things changed. Wanted to feel his hands on him and join in the excitement of a warm spring rain. 

“Your what?” Kageyama’s eyes were hesitant as he tilted his head (most likely questioning Hinata’s existence). 

“When I beat you dancing that one time at your New Years party, you said the loser had to do whatever the winner wanted. I’m calling it in now.” 

Hinata wasn’t sure what Kageyama was going to say, and he knew deep down that if the other boy said no again, he’d leave it at that.. But the way Kageyama’s eyes kept following his every movement..

He thought his chances of him agreeing were pretty okay. 

“Oh.. guess I have to then.” 

Hinata cheered as he lept into Kageyama’s arms, laughing as he almost knocked him over. He grabbed Kageyama’s hand and pulled him out into the rain. Water droplets caught in the taller boys eyelashes and stuck his hair to his forehead in a way that was so annoying (cute). 

This time, Kageyama was the one initiating things, and softly rested his hand on Hinata’s hip as he wrapped the other one into his much larger hand. Neither of them knew how to dance, and it was really no less clumsy than their first time, but nonetheless it was perfect.

Kageyama’s warm hand burned against his hip through his thin, wet shirt. Hinata leaned closer into the heat radiating from his body, and sighed as their chests pressed together. Kageyama’s hand gripped him tightly before slowly sliding around his waist, holding Hinata even closer. 

Warmth burst inside Hinata’s small body, and he smiled against Kageyama’s chest, sighing in contentment as he breathed in the smell of the warm spring rain, realizing how similar it was to Kageyama’s own comforting scent. 

The soft pattering of rain fell against the ground, soaked through their clothes, and Hinata could taste its freshness on his tongue. 

His throat tightened as he realized they only had a short time left together.. which he knew was part of the reason he asked Kageyama to dance in the first place. 

He wanted to be close to the other boy; to have this moment together because who knew when he’d get the chance again. 

  
~  
  


Back at Kageyama’s, freshly showered and snuggled up against his setter in one of his big, cozy shirts, Hinata couldn’t help the tears from escaping his eyes like the raindrops that had escaped the clouds earlier. They burned on the way down his face, hot against his cool skin, and he hastily brushed them away before the other boy could see. 

Hinata was excited for this new chapter in life of course, but he was really going to miss Kageyama.. Was going to miss his arms around him, his steady and calming presence, his familiarity. 

He wiped at his nose and snuggled closer against the warm body at his side, blocking out the thoughts of ever leaving. 

_I’ll be back to this._

_I promise._   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said “two chapter of them in highschool!!” A few chapters ago.. and here we are.. but fr fr this was it ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ (Besides maybe a couple paragraphs next chapter hehe) 
> 
> What do you guys think so far? We’re over half way!!
> 
> -
> 
> How are you all doing? I just want you to know that I care very much for each and every one of you, and you’re special and matter! Please please please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re having a hard time and need someone there for you <3 
> 
> (IG @sundance10_art)


	25. Operation: Enjoy Being Old (?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry

Kageyama didn’t cry during his high-school graduation.

That didn’t mean he didn’t feel sad, of course.. he’d just never been the type of person to shed tears when he was feeling sadness, and he was learning that was okay. Everyone was made different.

Hinata, on the other hand, _sobbed._

He got gross snot all over Kageyama’s graduation rob, and that was one bodily fluid of Hinata’s that he DID NOT want on him. 

But as he watched the expressions of varying emotions cross Hinata’s small freckled face, from joy to sorrow to determination (his personal favorite), he wondered what it would be like to show everything you were feeling so clearly and openly for everyone to see. 

Hinata truly wore his heart on his sleeve, and Kageyama loved him for that. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


All of the graduating members in the Karasuno volleyball club decided to celebrate afterwards by having one last movie night together at Yamaguchi’s.

For the first time, Kageyama pulled Hinata down onto his lap, smirking as he remembered years ago how Hinata’s tiny body flew onto his, yelling so loudly as he claimed his lap as his seat. Since then, Hinata had always initiated sitting with him during movie night, and when Kageyama was the one to pull him close, Hinata looked at him in shock before smiling bright enough to blind him as he wiggled closer. 

Kageyama looked around at his friends ( _friends!)_ and marveled at the fact that they ended up the way they did. Who would have thought him and Tsukishima would have made it through highschool without tearing each other apart? And who’d have thought Hinata and himself would’ve even graduated with the marks they got? _Wack._

A slightly solemn air hung around them that night, which was ridiculous because they had chosen a comedy to watch, but by the end Yachi, Yamaguchi, and Hinata were all crying. 

Guess who ended up getting more gross snot on his shirt….

.｡~☆~｡.

Kageyama wasn’t surprised that most of the teams who had scouted him were based in the city of Tokyo because any big opportunity was bound to come from Tokyo. It’s practically a law, right? Even if it wasn’t, he knew that moving there was the next step for him in his volleyball career. 

With his mom's help, Kageyama was able to purchase a tiny studio apartment and finally.. the reality of adulting was settling in. 

_What do you mean refrigerators don’t stock themselves ???_

Even though Kageyama had basically raised himself growing up, and not having a parent around wasn’t a new thing to him, his mom still did a few things around the house (grocery shopping was one of them).

He checked the fridge for the second time that day, and was no less heartbroken to see only a couple sad pieces of radish staring back at him. 

As much as it hurt, an empty fridge wasn’t the worst thing about life in the big city of Tokyo.

It was _loud_. 

There were people _always_ doing things, and doing things loudly. Crowds of people. Kageyama had never understood Nekoma’s teasing about him being a country bumpkin until he realized what a big difference life in the city held. 

Everyone was constantly bustling about in their own worlds, and the city that seemed surprisingly grey and normal during the daytime was bursting with color at night. 

Flashy lights shining outside of his window, cars traveling by, and the muffled sounds of hundreds of people talking kept him awake at night.

Trying to navigate the train system was already brutal, what with not knowing many kanji characters and all, but the floods of people made it that much more overwhelming. He was thankful that the gym his team trained at was close enough to walk to. (Even if he did end up getting lost) 

Despite being surrounded by hordes of people everyday, and getting along decently well with his new team… Kagegama felt so unbelievably lonely. 

Hinata was still back home in Miyagi, and he missed him so much it physically hurt to think about the little runt. 

Kageyama had never been the best texter, but he tried his best for Hinata’s sake.

_‘I mean it. I hve NO FOOD.’_

**Dumbass:** ‘ _BWAHA NO KAGEYAMA DONT DIEo(｀ω´ )o’_

 **Dumbass:** _‘maybe go get sum groceries dummy-yama?!??(≧∀≦)’_

_‘Idk where the grocery store is.’_

He sighed as he turned his phone off, rubbing his hands over his face as he laid in his tiny bed, listening to the noisy bustle of everyday life. A car horn honked loudly, as if it knew it was the perfect time to have his full attention. 

Kageyama wondered how everyone in Tokyo did it. 

_How the_ fuck _do they just keep living life._

_.｡~☆~｡._

Hinata and Kageyama didn’t text much.

Whenever he’d see Hinata’s garbled, over excited and over emojified messages, it made his insides feel all weird. It felt _wrong_ to not see those wild expressions on Hinata’s face, to read exclamation marks instead of hearing his excited yelling. 

Heck, he missed Hinata’s _yelling_?? Who knew that would ever happen. 

As much as he wanted to talk with the other boy, talking over the phone somehow made everything hurt inside a little bit.

Navigating a new city wasn’t easy, sleeping alone wasn’t easy, not knowing anyone wasn’t easy. 

Progress wasn’t easy. 

Kageyama knew this was what needed to happen in order to stand at the top of the world, and he was ready to embrace that. This would pass, and he had plenty of time to play volleyball with high level athletes. 

Everything was okay as long as he had his volleyball. 

He quickly settled into a routine, thankful that pro-level practices were much more frequent and intense than highschool had been. Practicing hard helped him fall asleep quickly at night, and each day soon repeated the one before it. Get up, go for a run (get lost), scrounge around for breakfast, go to practice, eat dinner, go to bed. Over and over and over again. He began to lose track of the days, and soon even lost track of the weeks. 

One thing he did know was that Hinata would be moving to Tokyo soon. The smaller boy had been training in Sendai the past few weeks, if his garbled texts were anything to go by, but was ready to head to the city for bigger and better opportunities.

Kageyama couldn’t wait for him to get there. 

**Dumbass** : ‘ _GOT MY APPARTMENT!!_ I bet it’s evn tinier than urs :p still sad we can’t room together but that woud b a super long commute!!!T^T’

 **Dumbass:** _“who knew Tokyo wa s SO STINKIN BIG!???('◉⌓◉’) it’s all one city! it needs to mind its business and be smaller!!!!!!”_

Kageyama smiled a little bit as he munched his breakfast while reading Hinata’s texts. He once again had to fight down the pang of disappointment that they weren’t able to be closer. 

Tokyo really was massive. 

He typed a brief ‘yeah’ as he put on his shoes, locking the door behind him as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. His damn heart jumped every time.

 **Dumbass:** _‘u suck at txting(o_o)’_

He rolled his eyes, even though he already knew it was true, and quickly sent, _‘U suck at evrything’_

What followed was a long string of emojis that Kageyama was rapidly figuring out to be Hinata’s way of swearing. 

.｡~☆~｡.

Practice was good that day, and they had a guest trainer which helped things be less monotonous. Kageyama enjoyed the feeling of his muscle aching from a long day of training as he bought dinner at a nearby ramen place. He liked this place in particular because it was a cozy, family owned restaurant tucked down a street not many people frequented. 

Kageyama blew the steam off the noodles before slurping them into his mouth, and he could hear Coach Ukai in his head yelling at him like one of those angels on his shoulder. He knew Hinata would burst out laughing if he ever told him that’s how he imagined their coach, but he knew the man would have a fit about him living off ramen. It wasn’t the best muscle building food, but he was hungry, okay??

He really needed to go grocery shopping.

~

As Kageyama made his way down the grocery aisles later that night, trying to figure out what brand of tofu was the best, his mind began to wander to the upcoming season. 

There was already a seasoned setter on his team, so would he even be able to play in matches? Kageyama was doing his best to stand out during their practice matches, and he knew deep down he was better than the current setter.. but would they let a rookie fresh outta high-school play right away? 

His hands tightened on the cart. 

What would he do if he couldn’t play? He tried fighting down the panic that swelled up inside of him, but staring at the many many _many_ brands of tofu seemed to heighten the overwhelming flood of feelings. 

_Why are there so many damn kinds of tofu?_? 

His breath picked up and his chest felt tight within his chest. The store lights were too bright, there were too many people crowding him, and why so much tofu?? 

Kageyama closed his eyes in an attempt to calm down. He was in control, he didn’t have to feel this way. Deep breaths in and out helped him to settle his heart rate, but his senses were still dialed too high. 

When was the last time he had felt like this? Had it ever been this bad?

He couldn’t remember and ended up buying _way_ too much tofu. 

~

Kageyama put his groceries away silently, thankful to be feeling a little better now that he was in his own home. The single light above his tiny stove cast a warm glow around the room, and he found focusing on its dim light helped him re-focus. His heart jumped inside of his chest as he heard the familiar buzz of his phone and quickly unlocked it to read:

 **Dumbass:** ‘ _how was practice!?!! Did you finally get groceries??!＼＼\٩(๑`^´๑)۶//／／Bet you didn’t!!!!’_

 **Dumbass:** _‘I was just wonderin, if you’re busy or going to bed it’s okay!!!! But would you maybe wanna talk on the phone a littleee??’_

 **Dumbass:** _‘not cuz I miss you or anything !!! We haven’t really talked on the phone and idk if you even want to butireallywabttookayyy???”_

 **Dumbass:** _‘sorry!! Forget I said anything!!!!”_

**Dumbass:(΄◉◞౪◟◉｀)**

Kageyama’s phone showed that Hinata was still typing, and he decided to put the poor boy out of his misery and just call him. 

Hinata picked up on the first ring and Kageyama held the phone away from his ear at the barrage of screaming. 

“BWAHHH KAGEYAMA!!!!”

Shivers quickly traveled down his spine at the sound of the other boy's voice. How long had it been? A few weeks? A month? Two months? However long it had been..it had been _way_ too long. 

Kageyama finished putting the last of his groceries away and choked out, “What, dumbass?” 

“I MISS YOU, IDIOT!!!” 

_What the fuck he’s so loud._

But his heart still jumped at the words, and he was glad Hinata couldn’t see his embarrassing blush. 

“I thought you said you didn’t miss me” He was glad his mouth was still working and words were coming out, because he had no thoughts. 

“Oh yeah!! I definitely don’t miss you at all, forget I said that!!” His voice was slightly different through the phone, but Kageyama felt something deep inside himself settling as he listened to the familiar lilting voice. 

It was nice, but it made him miss the little shrimp even more. Shouldn’t it work the other way? Shouldn’t talking to him make Kageyama miss him less?

Suddenly his throat began to feel tighter than it had a moment ago. “Idiot. Well I don’t miss you either.”

“I don’t miss you even more!” He could hear Hinata’s bright, teasing smile in his voice and wanted to see it for himself. 

“I don’t miss you most” 

“Aw dang it. You win” He heard rustling and imagined Hinata getting cozy, wrapping himself in some sort of blanket even though it was summertime.

“Fuck yeah I do. That means you have to tell me what you’ve been up to first.” He wasn’t sure if he was ready to talk about life in Tokyo just yet.

“Uwaaaaahhhhh fine!!!”

~

The two boys talked much longer than they should’ve, but they had a lot to catch up on (and Kageyama didn’t want to hang up). He had missed Hinata’s voice _so fucking much._

It was way past Kageyama’s bedtime (“no, Hinata I’m not a grandpa!! 11pm is late!!”) before they finally hung up, but he found himself wishing they could have kept talking and talking and talking. 

Even more than that, he wished Hinata was there with him.

He wanted to watch his expressions as he told Kageyama all about his day, about his week. He wanted to hear his laugh in person, see his smile. He wanted to feel his warmth beside him, even though his apartment was already way too warm. He wanted it so badly something deep inside of him ached. Kageyama had known it would be extra hard to hear his voice and not be with him, that was part of the reason they hadn’t talked on the phone before that night, but he hadn’t known how difficult it actually would be. Talking was painful, but not talking was even more painful, right?

Kageyama had known it wouldn’t be easy without the little dumbass.

But he didn’t know it would be this hard. 

He closed his eyes tight, and a single tear slipped down his cheek.. but he wasn’t crying!

He never cried when he was sad. 

The tear was just from squeezing his eyes too tight..

That's all.

  
Kageyama desperately wished for sleep to overtake him quickly that night and to not dream about freckled skin glowing in the sunshine, warm hands, and the sweet smell of citrus on a summer's day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I too have felt deep, uncontrollable panic while trying to buy tofu in Japan. Why so many. 
> 
> ~
> 
> The IG for this fic is @sundance10_art and I post art as well as give y’all some sneak peak stuff ;) I also super really love talking with you all so hmu!! (о´∀`о)


	26. Operation: Enjoy Being Old (!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe (๑･̑◡･̑๑)

Hinata wiped the perspiration beading on his forehead, wincing as he touched his sunburn tender skin.

The soft melody of cicadas from his open window was like background music.. peaceful compared to the chaos currently happening in his room.

“GAH! Why. Won’t. You. Close?!!” He forcefully sat on his suitcase, trying in vain to get it to shut before resorting to jumping up and down on top of it. A smile of victory spread across his face as it click closed. 

Placing his hands on his hips, Hinata turned around and paused as he saw his favorite hoodie (technically it wasn’t his hoodie)……. 

… that he had forgotten to pack. 

His smile fell, and he screamed in frustration while frantically trying to force the hoodie into the outside pocket on his suitcase. 

Looking at the other taped up boxes in his bedroom, he contemplated shoving the hoodie into one of them instead. They were small and few, but he knew they were also packed to the brim. 

Excitement and nervousness hummed in his bones as he continued to wrestle with his luggage. 

Tomorrow was the day! He was going to be a real grown up and move to his own place!! 

His family was driving him down to his new apartment, and he had no idea what to even expect, but he was so excited!!! Kageyama didn’t know that he was moving that day, and after he was all settled he was going to surprise that absolute idiot of a human. 

_Heh I can’t wait!_

It had been exactly 15 weeks and 4 days since Kageyama had left. 

The day they had parted back in May still replayed itself in his mind whenever he was missing the other boy (which was like.. all the time). Hinata had been so proud that he had finally been able to receive Kageyama’s incredible serve, and he remembered the sting of it resonating on his forearms as he smiled triumphantly at Kageyama. The competitive fire in the other boys' eyes had brightened into an inferno, and caused Hinata’s stomach to clench in pride at being able to receive it... or maybe he was just turned on seeing that look in Kageyama’s eyes. Who knows.. maybe both. 

Definitely both. 

Even the thought of that expression, being stared at so intensely, made a small shiver travel down Hinata’s spine. He quickly shook his head and slapped his cheeks with both hands to try and get the thought out of his mind and cried out in pain as he irritated his sunburn for the second time. 

His phone buzzed on his bed, and he instantly lept on top of it as he tried his best to unlock it in .2 seconds. It really could’ve been a message from anyone, but he knew deep down exactly who it was. 

**Ousamayama( ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ♡:** _‘whats up.’_

Hinata smiled as he read it, even though it was a dry as heck text. He knew Kageyama was trying his best. 

‘ _DYING OF PAIN I got a rlly bad sunburn and it hurts real bad!!!T^T I played vball too long outside and didn’t put on any sunscreen because I don’t normally burn this much!! But here I am. Owie(´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)’_

_‘whatr u up to???? You do anythin cool in practice!??! (*´∀｀*)’_

He waited a few minutes as Kageyama was probably trying to read his messages, the idiot. 

His heart jumped as he saw the dots indicating Kageyama was typing, but they soon disappeared as if he stopped typing, then reappeared, then disappeared. 

The suspense was almost too much for Hinata, and he dropped his phone in surprise when Kageyema actually sent the message. 

**Ousamayama( ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ♡:** ‘ _I wanna see’_

‘WHAT (OvO) THAT SOUNDS SO PERVY! YOU’RE A GROSS OLD MAN ASKIN FOR MY OICTURS!!!!!!!!’ 

Kageyama’s reply was much fast than before 

**Ousamayama( ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ♡:** _DUMBASS NO. I want to tease u about ur stupid burnt face._

‘PERVY-YAMA!!’ 

But since Hinata was filled with nothing but sparkles and kindness, he graciously sent a photo anyways, smiling big and crinkling up his nose. His hair was pinned up from the heat, and he was thankful to see his burn wasn’t tooooo bad, just a dusting of pink across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. 

**Ousamayama( ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ♡:** _nice. Ur stupid._

Hinata’s heart squeezed in happiness, and he kicked his feet and hugged his phone to his chest. 

He missed Kageyama so! Much! 

Butterflies fluttered in his chest as he thought about how soon he’d get to hear Kageyama call him stupid in person!!! He missed his voice a lot, the occasional phone call not doing it justice and only leaving Hinata wanting more. 

They had been so busy with training the last few months that they hadn’t had much time to talk anyways. 

Hinata was thankful to be able to stay busy, but late at night he missed Kageyama being in his room, and he missed playing volleyball with the other boy, and he missed that warm comforting presence always by his side.

_Just one more day!!_

_~_

Later that evening, Hinata met up with his middle school friends, Izumi and Kōji, to grab a snack and catch up. He knew this would be their last time to hang out in quite awhile, and wanted to spend time with them again before he left. 

They sat on the benches near Sendai station drinking zunda shakes, and Hinata remembered how much fun they used to have together. They had been so _young._

“Shouyou, remember when you used to be part of the girls volleyball team?? Now look at you, your team was third in the _nation_!!!” Izumi beamed at him. 

“It wasn’t the girls-“ Hinata began before Kōji threw his arm around his shoulders, almost knocking his shake from his hands.

“We know, Shou-chan! But you really have grown up so much! You seem way different.. it’s kinda scary.” 

“Yeah! Not only that, but you’re going overseas next year!” Izumi added. “They grow up so fast.” He wiped a fake tear from his eye.

Before he could respond, Kōji burst out “I bet you’ll even be married first!!” 

“BWAHH WHAT?? MARRIED?!” Hinata’s eyes opened wide.

 _MARRIED?!_ …. married? …. 

“Bwahaha!!!” Izumi held his stomach as he laughed “he’s only 19! But maybe you’ll meet some really hot girl in Brazil, fall in love and elope!”

“Doubt that.” Hinata mumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

“C‘mon it’s possible, man” He insisted 

“It’s really not…”

“Oh! What about those cute girls that were part of your club, during your first year?? There was that really pretty one! And the blonde is cute too, she’s in your grade, right? I remember them from when we watched you play.” Kōji said thoughtfully. 

“Ah-“ Izumi also looked thoughtful, “but remember there were also those two guys who are probably really popular with the girls. That scary king guy who kicked our asses in middle school seems to have gotten a little less scary and quite a bit taller. I bet the girls are all over him and that blonde one.” He sighed and stared up towards the sky, as if contemplating why that wasn’t him. 

“Ah hah…” Hinata laughed nervously, squeaking as both boys' eyes turned to him. “So what about you guys?!” He quickly asked before they could say anything. “Do you have girlfriends yet?”

“Nope.” Izumi pouted and Kōji just shook his head. “What’s it like? I know you mentioned a while back that you were dating someone..”

Hinata wasn’t sure what to say, “oh! Um.. I’m sure it’s different for everyone! And depends on the person you’re dating of course…” 

“What’s kissing like? Is it just like in the movies!?”

“Gwah! W-what?!.. Well, once again.. it depends on who it’s with.” Hinata said carefully, doing his best to not imagine how it felt to be on Kageyama’s lap, strong muscles beneath his hands and a hot tongue against his own. His cheeks instantly heated at the memory. 

_Why are they asking me this?! Were they this girl crazy in middle school?_

Hinata couldn’t remember, but he figured it was time to change the subject and asked how their families were doing, breathing easier once they were on a more comfortable topic. 

~ 

“Yachi, do any of your other friends know you like girls?” Hinata asked that night as they were curled up together on his couch. 

He was thankful his mom and dad didn’t freak out about a girl spending the night, but he figured him liking Kageyema must have something to do with that.

“They don’t know.. It just hasn’t come up in conversation, and that’s okay! I think once I get into university, people I meet will be a little more open to it anyways.”

A cool breeze from the nearby window ruffled her blonde hair, and she pushed it out of her eyes in frustration. 

Hinata nodded his head, “yeah, that makes sense! I hung out with Kōji and Izumi today and they talked about girls a lot! I didn’t know what to say.” 

Now it was Yachis turn to nod her head. “I know what that’s like! You use a lot of gender free words when talking about the person you like.” She laughed and Hinata found himself laughing too, it was nice having someone like her he could talk to. 

“Yes! I felt a little out of place talking with them..” Hinata thought for a moment. “And it’s not that I don’t like girls anymore! Just.. thinking of anyone like that besides Kageyama feels… wrong? I don’t even notice if girls _or_ other boys are cute, it’s only that stupid jerk!!” 

“How has it been not having him here?” 

“It’s been…..” without realizing it, Hinata’s eyes filled with tears “.. kinda bad. I miss him.”

Yachi huddled a little closer, nodding her head in understanding. “I bet! You guys were pretty much inseparable, I’m sure it’s an adjustment having him gone.”

“Mhhm. It feels like I’m missing some really important part of myself, and I hate it. Plus he’s a super sucky texter.” Hinata rolled his eyes.

Yachi laughed “yeah.. I bet he is.” 

Hinata let out a small giggle, despite his eyes still wanting to cry. 

He was going to miss Yachi a lot, but he knew it would be easy to keep in touch with her once he left the next day.

After all, she wasn’t a sucky texter.

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Hinata LOVED Tokyo.

The bustling crowds filled him with excitement, and even though he felt extra small having them pressed in on every side, he loved the movement. 

Finally, something seemed to meet the energy always thrumming inside of himself. 

He smiled ear to ear when he saw the way the windows reflected the orange glow of the setting sun, the buildings scraping the sky so high that he had to crane his neck to try and catch a glimpse of the top of them. 

His family was with him, grabbing dinner in the city together before they embarked on their long car trip home. 

Hinata and his family had already unloaded his boxes into his new tiny apartment (which seemed even smaller thanks to the fact that he was rooming with someone else to cut the cost). The apartment was a 40 minute train ride from the busy part of the city, but they had wanted to visit it as a family. 

After a delicious dinner of Okonomiyaki, Hinata hugged and kissed his family goodbye (only crying a little bit). Okay… maybe crying a lot as he hugged Natsu. 

She was going to be so much bigger the next time he saw her!! 

It was a hard goodbye, and after they left, Hinata sat on a bench, surveying the crowd as it fully sunk in. 

This was his home now, and he was a real, genuine adult now!!

Closing his eyes, he breathed in before pulling out the piece of paper with Kageyama’s address on it, smiling as he remembered asking the other boy's mom to keep it a surprise as he asked her for the address. She had been almost as excited as him.

Hinata entered it into his phone, and started following the prompts, thankful that he had his phone, because now that the sunlight was fading, it seemed to get even busier! 

Hinata moved along in the thick crowd, almost a foot shorter than everyone else and was treated to an exciting view of backpacks and coats.

_How did short people ever find their way around without their phone map telling them what to do!?_

He followed the prompts, only having to figure out the train systems once for a short 5 minute ride, and found himself walking quickly as he reached the part of the neighborhood he knew Kageyama’s apartment complex was located. 

His heart hammered inside his chest when “arrived” spoke all too loudly from his phone speakers, and he made his way on trembling legs up the stairs until he was standing in front of Kageyama’s door, planning what kind of cool thing he was going to say.

Hinata took a deep breath in before leaning in to knock- 

And the door was ripped open suddenly. 

His momentum was completely thrown off, and he stumbled forward in surprise, banging his head against something solid before realizing it was Kageyama's chest. 

As much as he had wanted to be pressed against the other boys impressive pecs.. this wasn’t what he had in mind.

He sprang backwards, raising his hands in a defensive position as he oh so eloquently gasped, “Bwah!??” (very cool)

“BWAH!!??” Kageyama yelled in return, eyes wide and even more surprised (even more cool). “W-what the fuck!!??”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kdrama ending?~
> 
> https://pin.it/5cKxpqt <<< Check out how cute my Kageyama and Hinata character aesthetic boards are <3
> 
> ALSO!!! I’m planning on doing a give away thing on my IG (@sundance10_art) within the next few days so stay tuned! \\(//∇//)\


	27. Operation: Flirt, but Not Actually

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ya know Kageyama’s (#●﹏ ●# )ཽ⁎⁺˳✧༚face that he gets when he looks at his volleyball? Yeah? Well that’s his face for this entire chapter

“W-what the fuck!!??”

Was Kageyama hallucinating? Did he die? Was he just too hungry that his brain decided to give up all logic?

The soreness on his chest from Hinata’s clumsy face said otherwise, and he reached out to roughly grab the other boy’s head to test that yes.. those screams were definitely real, and that hair was not just an illusion. It had grown out even longer, meaning the idiot hadn’t gotten a haircut like he told him to (he hadn’t meant it). Kageyama couldn’t say that he minded. 

He was definitely staring and needed to stop, but Hinata looked so damn  _ beautiful,  _ a stark contrast to the dingy wallpaper in the crappy hallway behind him.

“What the fuck..” he repeated, softer this time 

“Bwahahaha!! Your face right now is so stupid!!!” 

Kageyama hardly heard the words, he was too busy looking at how Hinata’s whole face lit up as he laughed, practically glowing with happiness, and when was the last time Kageyama had seen something so perfect?

“No, you’re stupid.” His brain helpfully responded purely on autopilot.

Hinata’s smile flashed him like direct sunlight, and before he knew it, the little runt had his arms wrapped tightly around Kageyama’s waist, his head once again buried in his chest (only this time intentionally). 

Kageyama hesitated only for a second before wrapping his arms around Hinata’s shoulders, feeling the muscle that he’d been working on but still smiling at how small he felt. 

For the first time in months, he finally felt settled as he rested his head on Hinata’s hair, breathing in the subtle smell of oranges and warmth that he’d been missing so much.

“So where were you rushing to in such a hurry, Yamayama-kun?” Hinata asked, pulling back just enough to smile up at Kageyama.

“Food.”

“If you were about to get ramen again, I swear I’ll call coach right now and-“

“Wanna get it with me?”

“Heck yeah!!”

~

Hand in hand, as if they couldn’t be separated for more than a second without dying, the two entered the small shop. 

The cozy atmosphere felt even warmer with the small boy at his side, and Kageyama knew he probably had a stupid grin on his face. 

Seated on stools with their bowl of noodles in front of them, he watched as Hinata took his first bite and sighed at the taste, nodding appreciatively before going in for the next bite.

“How often do you come here again?” Hinata asked, chewing in that obnoxious way that Kageyama had missed so much. 

“If you start getting on my case again about how often I eat ramen-“

“No! I’m just wondering because that waitress over there is totally checking you out!! Has she asked you for your number yet?” He indicated with his eyes to a young woman Kageyama sort of recognized but had never really noticed. 

“What? She is not, you idiot, and no.. she hasn’t.”

“Yes she is!! I noticed it as soon as we came in! I bet she’ll ask you for it soon.” He winked and  _ fuck _ that was kinda cute. 

“You’re so stupid, why even would she??” He shoved Hinata’s arm as he rolled his eyes. 

“Because you’re freakin hot!!” Hinata yelled. 

_ …...Huh…….. _

Hinata’s brown eyes widened and he looked around before bowing to the few people in the restaurant in apology for the outburst, and meekly sat down, cheeks pink.

Kageyama’s face also felt extremely warm, and he didn’t know what to say as his mind was completely in an alternate reality.

“I didn’t mean it.” Hinata rushed out in a loud whisper. “You’re ugly!” He stuck his tongue out and Kageyama’s eyes flicked down at the movement.

They both took a large bite of ramen, excusing their flushed cheeks as being caused by the steam wafting off the top of their bowls and ignored each other.

Was he hot? Kageyama had never really thought about it before. Unless you’re Hinata, you didn’t use your face to play volleyball, and Kageyama hadn’t ever cared what his looked like. 

He nudged Hinata with his shoulder, and the smaller boy smiled at him before stealing half of the egg from his ramen. The side of their thighs were pressed together, and Kageyama felt warmth buzzing through him at the feeling. When had been the last time someone had touched him? He leaned closer against Hinata and felt his stomach flip, hyperfixiated on every place their bodies connected. 

He glanced over at the girl Hinata had pointed out, and noticed she was obviously trying not to watch them, but her eyes kept darting over anyways.

And maybe… Kageyama wrapped his arm around Hinata’s waist as they left that night, not solely to be close to him (although that was a large reason..) but to let her know she should just give up whatever dumb little crush she may have. 

He knew that she wouldn’t be asking him for his number now.  
  


~

Even though it was late and they were both exhausted, the two boys walked around to admire the flashy nightlife of Tokyo.

There wasn’t ever a time that Kageyama thought Hinata didn’t look nice, (not that he’d tell him that) but something was special about the way he lit up beneath the neon signs. 

Kageyama could tell that Hinata was already comfortable around the hordes of people, even though he clung close to Kageyama to avoid being trampled (the runt). 

His brown eyes reflected the bright lights, causing them to burn intensely, and Kageyama couldn’t have stopped drinking in the sight even if he wanted to. It had been so  _ damn long _ since he’d been treated to a view like this that his eyes refused to look away, afraid that if he blinked, he’d miss out on something and regret it when he was alone again. 

Hinata flushed under the scrutiny, but glanced coyly up at him through his eyelashes as he ran his arm up Kageyama’s bicep where he had his arm tucked through. 

Heat coiled in Kageyama’s gut at the simple touch, and he finally had to look away. 

_ I’m so fucking whipped for this tangerine what the heck.  _

It was scary, having his feelings run so deep for anything besides volleyball, but to be fair he had always been an all or nothing type of person. 

—-

HINATA’S POV

—

Hinata was absolutely vibrating with happiness as he walked arm in arm with Kageyama. 

A feeling of calm settled deep inside of him despite the chaos of the crowds surrounding them, and he loved that the other boy always had that effect on him (somehow even when they were racing or wrestling). He looked up and smiled as he realized Kageyama was still staring at him with that slightly constipated look that he sometimes got when he’s real happy but doesn’t know other people can tell. His soft black hair reflected the colorful lights around them, and it struck Hinata all over again that Kageyama looked good.. like  _ really _ good. 

Sadly, his dark choppy bangs had begun to grow out, and Hinata took a brief moment to mourn their loss. They had been cute and would be missed…..

Maybe he’d have to chew gum during nap time again, but he had to admit.. Kageyama always looked older and more mature with longer bangs (which wasn’t a bad look on him either). 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Kageyema’s door creaked open, loud compared to the stark silence that had settled between the two boys the moment they had stepped foot into the building.

Hinata was doing his best to steady his heart rate, but how could he when there were so many butterflies trying to escape in his chest and stomach?! 

The door clicked shut behind them, and Hinata jumped at the sound. 

Blue eyes wouldn’t meet his own, and the flush on Kageyama’s face told him that he also felt the subtle shift in the atmosphere between them.. 

_ We’re alone.  _ Hinata thought, sealing deeply

_ Alone.. _

_ Alone. _

It replayed in his mind like a mantra along with his erratic heartbeat. 

Growing up, they’d been alone at Kageyama’s house plenty of times, and at his own house a few times, but this felt  _ completely  _ different! They were adults _..  _ there wasn’t a chance of their parents walking in, or anyone walking in, and Hinata hadn’t known that thought would affect him the way it did.

It felt so different, and even though he felt almost nauseous, it was a good feeling. Exciting, even. 

“Um..” Kageyama began, clearing his throat as he frowned deeply “you like volleyball?”

And just like that.. in that one  _ stupid _ question, Hinata burst out laughing and could feel the tension between them break, but his heart was filling with fondness nonetheless. “You idiot! What do you think!?”

“Dumbass! I mean like.. would you like to watch some?” Kageyama frowned even deeper as he sat on his small bed, one of the only pieces of furniture in his one room apartment.

Still laughing a little bit, Hinata agreed and joined him on the bed. He threw his legs over Kageyama’s and huddled closer, breathing in the comforting summer rain scent of the other boy.

“Stop sniffing me, you weirdo.” 

Hinata sniffed even louder, burying his nose into his neck just to mess with him, and laughed as Kageyama quickly jerked away, breath hitching and eyes wide.

He really had pretty eyes, and Hinata felt his own breath stick inside his chest as he looked fully into them. Both boys quickly looked away with red cheeks as they turned their attention to Kageyama’s laptop. He pressed play, and Hinata did his best to  _ not  _ pop a boner beside him. 

He was doing his best, but as he had said at the restaurant earlier.. Kageyama was  _ freakin hot. _

It had been a long day and after watching for a while, Hinata felt his eyelids drooping despite his best efforts to stay awake and not miss a single moment with Kageyama. He looked over at him, and smiled to see his eyes closed and small puffs of breath escaping his slightly parted lips. 

_ Cute.. _

Hinata carefully moved his laptop and put it on the table, but as he was doing so, Kageyama reached out and tugged on his shirt. 

Looking back, he saw that Kageyama’s eyes were cracked open, and he was looking at Hinata under hooded eyelids. “You can borrow some clothes for tonight.” He mumbled. “There’s an extra toothbrush in there too.”

“Awe Kageyama, did you buy one for me?” 

“No. They’re cheaper if you buy two at a time.”

Hinata smiled and knew the other boy was telling the truth..

..probably.

Kageyama pushed himself up into a sitting position, and sleepily rubbed his eyes while frowning in a way Hinata found a little bit adorable (a lot adorable). 

The two of them quietly brushed their teeth side by side, and Hinata had really missed little moments like this with the other boy. 

“Stop fuckin doin tha” Kageyama mumbeld around his toothbrush.

Ah yes.. sweet, quiet moments.

“Doin wha?!” Hinata frowned in confusion, he was just brushing his teeth!

“Stop brushin like tha.” Kageyama was staring intensely at him, and Hinata still wasn’t sure what he was talking about. 

“Like wha??!” A bit of toothpaste dribbled down his chin as he yelled which only made him yell more. 

It was all Kageyama’s fault for being stupid, so he punched the other boy before rinsing out his mouth. 

_ What was he talking about!? _

Hinata figured it was going to be a mystery forever, because he tried to get it out of Kageyama but was only met with an angry scowl and a flick between the eyebrows. 

~

Kageyama’s bed was really small.

Like.. really small. 

Hinata wasn’t complaining, because it gave him an excuse to shove his own leg between Kageyama’s and huddle in a way that was normally considered obnoxious, but now was  _ needed  _ (or else his ass would be hanging off the edge). 

Laying close, they whispered stories and thoughts about things they had wanted to say during the past 15 weeks and 5 days but just couldn’t over the phone.

A neon sign outside Kageyama’s window cast a subtle glow across his skin, and Hinata longed to reach out and touch it. His mouth curled upwards as he watched Kageyama’s eyes slowly close while he softly continued speaking, telling Hinata all about his team and life in Tokyo. It was hushed; quieter than the people speaking down in the streets just outside, and it was so special to Hinata. 

He’d missed this so much. 

He’d missed Kageyama so much. 

When they both fell silent, Kageyama cracked one eye open to see if Hinata had fallen asleep. 

He was still awake, but just barely, and smiled as he reached out his hand to push Kageyama’s soft hair away from his forehead. It felt like silk beneath his fingertips, and he loved the way it reflected the purple hues of the neon light. His fingertips skimmed Kageyama’s forehead, and the soft skin beneath his fingers was addicting. He wanted to feel more.

Kageyama’s eye’s fluttered closed at the gentle touch, and the corners of his mouth gently pulled up in one of his rare, unguarded smiles. “I missed you a little bit.” He mumbled and Hinata’s heart squeezed so tightly he thought it was going to burst. 

“I missed you a little bit too, moron.” Hinata whispered back. 

He wanted so badly to reach out and touch his lips and see if they’re as soft as they looked while tracing their shape. He wanted his own lips to find that out as well, and his chest ached within him at the thought. 

Kageyama’s breathing began to slow and even out, and Hinata felt his own eyes closing against his will. He didn’t want to miss a single moment with this boy, because he didn’t know when they’d get the chance to hang out again. 

His language classes and volleyball training were starting soon, and he knew his schedule would be  _ packed _ . He knew the next few months would fly by, and soon after that.. he’d be heading to Brazil.

And so, he tried to memorize the soft planes of Kageyama’s face before gently leaning his head to rest against his collarbone, listening to his steady heartbeat as he matched his own breaths to the other boy’s.

Listening to the gentle murmuring of the crowds in the street, Hinata smiled as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of them being completely in sync. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


“You guys are so in sync it’s crazy!!“ One of Kageyama’s teammates shouted in awe.

Hinata had walked Kageyama to practice on his way back to the train station, and Kageyama’s coach said it was okay for him to join for a few minutes. 

Their signature quick hadn’t failed to shock even pro-level players, and he felt his chest swell with pride while taking a long drink from Kageyama’s water bottle. He wiped his mouth and beamed up at his setter, laughing at the other boy's expression. 

“Yeah!” Another teammate agreed “I guess it makes sense now, Kageyama  always seemed like he missed playing with someone. He gets this look in his eye, and we all can tell he’s holding back.” 

A couple other members nodded and laughed, and Kageyama just looked even more constipated. Hinata passed him the water bottle and slapped him on the back. “It’s okay, Yamayama-kun!! I know you can’t help miss playing with meee”

“Shut up, dumbass. I don’t miss you.” 

“That’s not what you were telling me last night~” Hinata said, unable to stop himself from teasing the poor boy.

“OOOHHHhhh” someone gasped. Everyone else’s eyebrows shot up as they looked quickly between the two of them

_ Wait _

_That sounded A LOT_ _more sexual than I meant.._

Laughing a little, he glanced at Kageyama to see his reaction, only to be met with Kageyama’s signature glare (with bonus pink cheeks).

Hinata would’ve laughed harder if his own cheeks weren’t also burning. 

~

Later that morning, he may have gotten a bit lost on his way back to his apartment, and somehow it had been harder leaving Kageyama the second time than it had been the first. 

It had only been around four months since they had last seen each other.. what were they going to do when he spent two  _ years  _ in Brazil?!

His small hand tightened on the train's handrail.

It was okay! They’d be okay!

_ It’ll go by fast, and I’ll learn so much.  _

Seeing Kageyama in practice today, playing with professional level volleyball players solidified in Hinata’s mind the importance of what he was doing.

He needed to beat Kageyama! His goal was not only to be at the same level.. but even  _ higher _ than his biggest rival. 

He couldn’t wait. 

Smiling while he stepped off the train, thankful to move his legs after the log train ride, Hinata made his way down the streets of Tokyo feeling much more motivated..  
  


and ready to kick Kageyama’s ass. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta remember their amazing rivalry~
> 
> Check out my free give away on Instagram @sundance10_art !!\\(//∇//)\ I have it in my highlights but dm me if you have any questions :) 
> 
> What was your favorite part this chapter? I love reading your comments sm and they always make me smile ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ y’all are the best and I love you lots <3


	28. Operation: Be Busy as Heck :(

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY HINATA  
> ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･

**Dumbass:** _ ‘buwAAaaa boooooo wha d ya mean you can’t make it this weeknd?!(´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`)”  _

Kageyama’s frown deepened as he imagined the little pout that was sure to be on Hinata’s face. In fact, the idiot had probably already thrown his phone across his apartment in frustration (it’s a miracle it hadn’t broken at this point). 

The amount of times Kageyama had to cancel on their plans was growing by the month, and he felt bad. (But to be fair, Hinata wasn’t much better with the whole not cancelling plans thing)

They were both just so damn  _ busy _ . 

Kageyama rubbed his hand over his face as he shoved his phone into his pocket, knowing he’d be yelled at if his boss saw him using it. He’d picked up a small part time job stocking shelves at a tourist shop..

.. and hated it. 

Everyone was grumpy, which made him even more grumpy which made life all around very shitty. 

However, he couldn’t complain  _ too  _ much because at least it paid enough for him to get food once in a while and pay his rent. 

It’s the small things in life.

Speaking of small things, Hinata was just as busy. His language classes were intense to say the least, and he was finding he  _ actually  _ needed to study (What? Study, who?)

Kageyama rolled his eyes and tried to imagine Hinata living in a different country, relying on his minimal Portuguese and crappy English. 

Hinata was a little bit stressed about that and was most likely gonna die… but he knew the excitement outweighed any other emotion the small boy might be feeling.

~

The sun had already set by the time his shift had finished, and his phone buzzed angrily as he stepped out into the open air, shivering and bundling his coat tighter at the brisk January air. It was nothing compared to Miyagi's winters, but it was still cold nonetheless, and as much as he didn’t want to expose his hands to the cold.. he did anyways to check his phone.

**Dumbass: ‘** _ how dare u leave me on read during my time of painT^T Kageyama I’m HURT!!( ´Д`)y━･~~”  _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘jk jk I know you're working and I don’t want ur demon boss yelling at you if I’m not there to see it hehe’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘and I know ur super busy so it’s okay about this weeknd!!! I needed to study more anyways :(‘  _

Kageyama began texting a brief ‘yeah you do, ur stupid-‘ when his phone dinged again.

**Dumbass:** _ ‘and don’t just say ‘yeah you do’(￣д￣;)’ _

He smiled a little despite the growing feeling of guilt slowly crushing him. 

Hinata had been in Tokyo for around 6 months now.. and they’d only hung out three times. Once when he visited Hinata’s apartment (“dumbass. My place is smaller.” “Well you don’t have a roommate!!!”) and another time for Kageyama’s birthday and another to celebrate him joining Japan's Olympic team (yeah.. that was a pretty big deal so Hinata skipped class…… and failed an important exam because of it..)

Time passed by too quickly, and he hadn’t been able to stop it. 

A small bubble of panic welled up inside his chest when he remembered they had less than 2 months until Hinata was traveling to the other side of the world. 

Along with the panic slowly rising within him, disappointment threatened to crush him about the upcoming weekend.

He just wanted to see Hinata. 

.｡~☆~｡.

The roaring crowd pulsed around Kagayama as he wiped the sweat off his forehead after a well earned victory. They had utterly destroyed the other team.

He was soon swarmed by reporters looking for an interview from the prodigy rookie, just 18 years old, already playing in pro-level games and heading to the 2016 Olympics and they crowded around him, trying to get his attention. 

It was starting to become normal, but he still wasn’t completely used to it and blinked as bright cameras flashed in his eyes.

The lights burning overhead were overwhelmingly warm, and the screaming crowd magnified the feeling. Everything was so much  _ more _ than in highschool. Bigger crowds, louder announcers, oh.. did he mention the cameras? So many cameras.

They flashed as he ducked his head and excused himself, needing to take a small break from the chaos surrounding him. 

Normally he loved the post game feeling: body aching from overexertion, and chest light from the feeling of winning.. But he had to take a moment to himself or else he was going to say something rude (that his coach would scold him about later). 

He broke away from the crowd and found himself walking faster than he intended, shoes squeaking on the floor and thankful when the gymnasium doors closed behind him and muffled the sea of voices.

Already breathing easier, Kageyama made his way down the deserted hallway until he found the bathrooms located near his team's locker room. He was just pushing the door open when a small flurry of disaster crashed into him while exiting the bathroom. 

“GAH!!”

His heart stopped beating. 

He’d know that small flurry of disaster  _ anywhere _ . 

That was his favorite disaster of a human, and his mouth parted in surprise as he pushed the small boy back in surprise, grabbing his biceps as he peeled his face away from his chest. 

“Why the fuck do you keep running into me like that, and  _ what the fuck are you doing here!???”  _

_ “ _ KAGEYAMA!!” 

Hinata beamed at him, and Kageyama blinked, feeling more blinded by that single  _ wonderful  _ smile than by any camera. 

“MY PLAN WORKED!” Hinata screamed, also somehow louder than any crowd. “I knew if I went to the bathroom, I’d somehow summon you because scary people always show up at bathrooms!!”

“You-what!??” Did Kageyama hear him correctly? Was he  _ that _ stupid? “I’m not scary, and you didn’t summon me!” 

“You should see your face right now, you’re scary as heck!” Hinata grabbed the front of Kageyama’s shirt and dragged him flailing into the bathroom, door slamming shut behind them and pointed at his face in the mirror to prove it. 

Okay maybe he was a  _ little  _ scary..

But only because Hinata was being so  _ stupid, _ and he had  _ missed him so much,  _ and he wasn’t supposed to be there, and his heart didn’t know what to do so his face decided to activate the glare. 

“Whatever. At least it’s not just stupid like your face. But what are you doing here!? Don’t you have class!?” He turned his gaze to Hinata through the mirror, eyes running all over the smaller boy to see if he’d changed in the past couple months and to drink in the sight of the face he’d missed so much.

“My teacher had a family emergency and canceled, so I came because I just wanted to see how bad you sucked!! Only the train was stalled, and I got lost and only made it ten minutes ago right after you finished.” He rambled.

Kageyama noticed Hinata rapidly blinking his eyes as he looked away. He must have been more disappointed than he was letting on about missing Kageyama’s game.

“And don’t ask how I got lost when the gym isn’t toooo far from my apartment because I don’t know either!!”

The gymnasium was a 10 minute train ride from Hinata’s place, much closer than it was to Kageyama’s, but he hadn’t considered it a possibility to even see Hinata due to his language class.

Kageyama could tell his brain was still trying to process everything happening, but it wasn’t working and did Hinata’s voice always sound like that? and did he always smell that good? and Kageyama probably just smelled like sweat and he should say hello to the other boy and did things feel a little weird between them? and why did it feel like he couldn’t breathe-

Hinata’s brows furrowed as he watched Kageyama in the mirror before looking up at him, studying his face. “Are you okay?” He asked quietly

“I’m fine.” Kageyama muttered but fully knew he was lying and could tell Hinata knew it as well.

His brows furrowed further. “Kageyama-“

“Don’t.” Kageyama bit out briskly, looking away quickly because Hinata had a way of getting things out of him that was equal parts annoying and impressive. “I have to leave soon, we have a debriefing back at our gym after this.”

Hinata nodded, still watching Kageyama’s face and bit his lip, most likely trying to figure out if he should push it any further or just leave it. He turned and jumped up so he was sitting on the sink counter, dangling his feet off the edge and swinging them back and forth.

_ Shit, that’s kinda cute.  _

Kageyama scrunched up his face in a deeper scowl and studied the dingy tiles by his foot.

Guilt was still eating away at him that this was all they could manage. A five minute meeting in the bathroom? Really? 

He wanted so much more than that. He wanted Hinata in his arms again but wasn’t sure how to ask for that. 

How was it possible to miss someone when you were with them?

“Your pea brain can’t take that much thinking, ya know.” Hinata giggled, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Just tell me”

If they only had a short amount of time together, Kageyama didn’t want to ruin it by being moody so he forced a smile that he hoped wasn’t too scary and asked Hinata about the training he’d been doing. 

Hesitating, Hinata told him all about it while watching him closely. 

The longer he spoke, the tighter Kageyama’s chest felt. He watched Hinata’s small mouth move as he talked and tried to listen to what he was saying.. he really did.

The bathroom was too cold, and he began to feel chilled as goosebumps formed along his exposed arms. Shivering slightly he focused on watching the way Hinata’s chest rose and fell as he breathed.

Only then did he realize it was quiet in the room. Hinata had stopped talking.

_ Shit _

His eyes jerked up to Hinata’s, wondering if he had noticed how spaced out Kageyama had been. 

_ Of course he noticed. Idiot. _

He was expecting the other boy to call him out on it, but instead Hinata just held out his hands, beckoning Kageyama a little closer. 

Moving on their own, his feet shuffled forward until he had stepped into Hinata’s space and allowed his hands to be grasped by both small, warm ones. 

_ I know he’s disappointed about not hanging out.  _

_ But what if he doesn’t care? What if he hasn’t missed me? _

_ Stop.. that’s not true  _

_ But what if he’s mad I keep cancelling on him? _

“It’s okay.” Hinata said, somehow reading his mind.

Kageyama bit his lip and looked away. 

_ It’s not okay.  _

“Look at me.” Hinata’s tone was soft but commanding, and Kageyama had no choice but to listen to him as his eyes grudgingly met his golden brown ones. “It’s okay, all right?” 

Kageyama still didn’t respond. 

“Look, you idiot,” Hinata said with an amused tone in his voice. “I can tell you’re getting in your head and doing your quiet thing, so I guess I’ll just do all the talking. I’m pretty good at talking, so that’s okay!!” He smiled brightly and squeezed Kageyama’s hands before resting them on his lap.

“I can tell you’re upset about not being able to hang out much, and I understand that! I wanna hang out and play volleyball and watch movies and fight and do dumb stuff too.. but I promise we can make up for it later, okay?” 

Kageyama looked at him doubtfully. What if there wasn’t a later? 

_ What if he likes Brazil so much that he just stays? _

Hinata sighed and breathed out a puff of laughter “I told you we’d stand at the top of the world together, didn’t I?” And I meant it!! The determination in his eyes made Kageyama’s heart jump. “Just wait for me a bit.”

He nodded and honestly why had he even doubted that promise in the first place? They both fully meant it. “Okay, dumbass.” 

Kageyama was once again blinded by the happy grin in front of him, and his eyes darted around Hinata’s face as he studied the small freckles, memorizing their pattern.

He had heard somewhere that freckles grow from sunlight (like fucking plants?) which sounded fake, but okay. Would Hinata’s skin be even more covered when he came back? 

_ God I’m gonna miss him. _

Because Kageyama didn’t know when he’d have the chance again (and because he hadn’t been touched in  _ forever _ and just the feeling of his hands on Hinata’s lap was somehow TOO much but also not enough), he leaned forward to rest his head on Hinata’s shoulder and lean his hands on the counter on either side of the other boys hips. 

Hinata always smelled so good, like sunshine on a summer's day even in the middle of winter mixed with that stupid kids orange scented shampoo, and Kageyama closed his eyes tightly as he breathed in the scent. 

Small hands tangled in his jersey, and Hinata spread his legs to tug Kageyama in closer against his body. Any other time and that would send Kageyama’s brain  _ instantly _ to a very dirty place- but at that moment he needed so badly to just be close to the other boy's warmth.

(Later though, when he was in his apartment, he would definitely be thinking about being between those powerful thighs)

Kageyama’s eyes stung as he buried his nose further against the crook of Hinata’s neck, the stress and fears inside him slowly unwinding with each stroke of Hinata’s hand against his back and soft word whispered in his ear. 

His eyes closed and he leaned more of his weight against Hinata, feeling so relaxed like he could almost fall asleep-

“Kageyama?- oh!” A voice cut in and Kageyama swore as he heard the door swing shut, effectively ruining the moment and causing him to roughly shove Hinata away on pure reflex.

“GAHhh!!” Hinata screamed as he slid backwards into the sink, legs kicking as he tried to get himself out. He looked so small and angry, waving his arms around with knees tucked up near his chest that Kageyama burst out laughing. 

“KAGEYAMA YOU JERK!” Hinata had murder in his eyes, and Kageyama laughed more as he grabbed one of the other boys arms and yanked him out before turning to see who rudely ruined the best feeling he had had in awhile. 

“Sorry to ruin your fun.” His teammate was definitely laughing at both of them. “Coach was looking for you, we’re about to head out.” 

Kageyama gave him a brief nod, disappointment creeping back inside his chest and turned to Hinata where he saw that same disappointment reflected in his eyes. 

It was gone in a flash, and maybe Kageyama had imagined it, but he was once again smiling brightly as he wrapped his arms around him. 

“Goodbye, Yamayama-kun!! I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Yeah. See you later dumbass.” Because he wasn’t sure when he’d get to again, Kageyama ran his hand up the back of Hinata’s neck before tangling it in his mop of orange curls that Hinata thankfully still hadn’t cut. “Sorry I pushed you into the sink.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yeah..”

Tightening his hand in Hinata’s hair briefly before pushing him away, Kageyama turned to walk out the door.

He felt a small hand wrap around his wrist and halted, looking back at Hinata in surprise.

“I just..” Hinata began before glancing past Kageyama to his teammate standing in the doorway, waiting “... never mind, it can wait. See you!” He smiled, but Kageyama knew what his forced smiles looked like, and that was definitely one of them. 

Knowing they were out of time, he nodded again to the other boy before pulling out of his grasp and walked quickly out of the room while he still had the ability to do so. His resolve was fading fast, but he managed to fall into stride with his teammate who was saying something to him, but Kageyama didn’t hear. 

It had been nearly impossible leaving that room.

If only he would’ve known that was the last time he’d get the chance to see Hinata before the runt left.. He would have stayed, team debriefing be damned. 

He definitely wished he had stayed.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies that you don’t get a super fluffy chapter for Hinata’s birthday :( go back and read chapter 21 for some birthday fluff heh (*´∀｀*)
> 
> Anyways, I’m just about to post some of my favorite Hinata art I’ve done on IG (@sundance10_art) because it’s his birthday! And he deserves it! 
> 
> Love you guys, and I hope you’re having a great day ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡


	29. Operation: Wait.. and wait..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama really needs to learn how to text, doesn’t he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter is gonna be a little short and a little meh.. I was camping with a friend since Sunday and was SO BUSY I hardly had time to work on it :(
> 
> I hope you enjoy it anyways! <3
> 
> bone app the teeth

‘ _ Hinata I’m sorry’ _

Kageyama didn’t normally use Hinata’s name when they’d text, resorting instead to ‘runt’ ‘scrub’ or the classic ‘dumbass.’ But none of them fit right, because he really was so sorry. While rushing after practice to make it to the airport before Hinata left for Brazil, the train stalled, and he wanted to yell in frustration. 

People in business suits grumbled around Kageyama, frowning while checking their watches every few minutes. He clenched his fists as he watched them.. so upset and for what? To be late for work? To be late to a meeting? He wanted to scream at them that it didn’t fucking matter! Nothing could be worse than what he was missing. 

He wouldn’t get to say goodbye. 

Blinking his eyes, he stared out the window at the unmoving scenery. 

His phone buzzed and in his haste, he nearly dropped it, feeling sick before he even read the message 

**Dumbass:** _ ‘Aw man I think I know what that means’  _

**Dumbass:** ‘ _ can’t make it?‘ _

The lack of emojis made Kageyama want to throw his phone against the train's wall, and as if it heard his thoughts, the train started moving at a slow pace (yeah it better be scared. He just might still do it) 

_ ‘I’m 10 minutes away’  _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘I board in 5 :(‘ _

**Dumbass: ‘** _ but its okay Yama!! Don’t feel bad, I know u did evrything you could (*´꒳`*)’  _

Somehow that made Kageyama feel even worse. Hinata should just yell at him or call him stupid or something, it wasn’t okay.

It wasn’t. 

~

Rushing to the visitors section, Kageyama saw familiar orange curls out of the corner of his eye, and his heart leapt in his chest. 

Did he make it in time after all??

He tried to keep the disappointment hidden from his face once he realized who he was seeing. Hinata’s family were there to see him off, and he inwardly cursed Natsu for having the same bright mop of hair as her brother (Sorry Natsu).

Her face lit up when she saw him, and Kageyama tried to manage a smile despite the way his heart was aching inside of his chest. 

Greeting Hinata’s family, they pointed to which plane was Hinata’s, and Kageyama watched as it impossibly left the ground and faded into the distance. 

He pulled out his phone to text Hinata even though he wouldn’t have service for awhile (and texting always sucked compared to speaking face to face) but he needed to say something.. anything. 

_  
‘Sorry. I at least saw your plane take off.’ _

_ ‘That should be impossible. _

_ ‘for it to .. leave the ground like that.’ _

_ ‘It’s too big and heavy.’ _

_ ‘I don’t like it’ _

Putting his phone in his pocket, he tried not to think about the long silence between them that had already started. It was a 23 hour flight, and it was unlikely Hinata’s phone would work until he got a new SIM card anyways.

He really wasn’t looking forward to the silence, and his stomach tightened into a knot within him. Even if they couldn’t see each other, Hinata ALWAYS texted. 

Kageyama pulled out his phone again to check the time, glaring at it as he willed it to go faster.

“Everything okay?” Hinata’s mom asked him, eyes full of concern, and Kageyama could see where Hinata got the look from. 

“Yeah.” Luckily, she didn’t know him as well as her son did and wouldn’t know that he was flat out lying. 

“Okay! Would you like to grab dinner with us?” She smiled at him sweetly and  _ shit-  _ Hinata has that same smile, and he really fucking missed the little dumbass. 

“Sure.”

It was going to be a long two years.

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


**Dumbass:** _ ‘It’s really warm here, Yamayama!!(｡･ω･｡)!!” _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘and people are SO LOUD’ _

Kageyama snorted as he read the text, heart hammering in his chest to finally  _ finally _ get an update.

‘ _and that’s comin from u?’_

**Dumbass:** _ ‘shut up(･_･ I mean lik compared to Japan. people sound almost angry, but Katou said they’re not! Katou is the dude who coach Washijō used to teach and told about me wantin to play beach volleyball heh’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘he’s pretty cool!! We’re gonna go to a — game tonight and I’m SO EXCITED ･:*+.\\(( °ω° ))/.:+’ _

**Dumbass** **_:_ ** _ ‘bein busy is the best way to fight jetlag !!!! Woo hooo!!!!! Jet lag be gone!!!!!!! Jk jk I feel like dying nd wanna sleep :( _

Kageyama wiped the sweat off of his forehead. Technically, it was the middle of practice and he wasn’t supposed to be on his phone.. but this was the first time he’d heard from the other boy in two days so could you blame him?? He’d break the rules only this one time.

Kageyama stared intently at one of the photos Hinata had sent along with the barrage of texts.

Small picture Hinata seemed happy, and Kageyama smile as he realized he was already wearing the hat he had given him for his birthday. 

‘ _ u finally cut ur hair. thank god. it was a mess’ _

Hinata must have already been on his phone, because typing dots instantly appeared. 

**Dumbass:** _ ‘HEY! Rude!! o(｀ω´ )o I know u actually liked it’ _

He really did.

**Dumbass:** _ ‘I thought it would be good for the heat. I got it cut before I left.’ _

_ ‘U actually used ur braincell. Wow.’ _

Kageyama smiled as he imagined the expression on Hinata’s face and missed messing with him in person. He wanted to watch the emotions flash across the smaller boy's face. 

“Kageyama!! Water break’s over!!” His coach yelled sternly. 

Shoving his phone into his bag, he jogged over to the rest of the team and jumped back into his serve drills, doing his best not to think about how Hinata was doing in Rio all by himself and focusing instead on his teammates. 

He was so excited to have been invited onto the Olympics team, and had been diligent in practice along with the other top athletes in Japan. 

Today wouldn’t change that.. No more text breaks for him.

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Hinata hadn’t texted much the whole rest of the week, busy settling in which Kageyama completely understood.. but it didn’t make him feel any less lonely. 

How had he never noticed how dark his apartment was? Or how quiet, despite the noisy city?

Kageyama wrapped his blanket around himself tighter as he woke up one morning, eyes flying open as he caught a smell of citrus…. only to realize it was the orange peels still on his dresser from his late night snack.

Groaning while rubbing his face, he reached over to check his phone. (His heart really never stopped jumping when he got a message from Hinata, did it?) 

The other boy had sent a bazillion pictures, talking about each one. Yawning and eyes bleary, Kageyama smiled while reading the barrage of texts that had been sent during the night, almost as overwhelming as Hinata’s own loud voice, passionately sharing EVERY thought that crossed his mind. 

**Dumbass:** _‘can’t wait see Rio, it’s beautiful.’_

**Dumbass:** ‘ _not tht you have any concept of beautiful, you Scrooge :p’_

What did he mean ‘no concept of beautiful‘???

He did too have a concept of it. 

Kageyama typed _‘I think ur a little beautiful’_ just to imagine what it would be like to say things like, that he but had no intention of actually sending the message. 

His heart ached as he tried to picture what it would be like to say things like that to Hinata.

To be allowed to say things like that.

To whisper them softly on a quiet morning, dim sunbeams filtering through the window as he ran his hand through Hinata’s hair, still messed up from sleep (Definitely just sleep… nothing else..)

Oh no, now Hinata didn’t have clothes on in his imagination, and the thought startled Kageyama so much  that he dropped his phone. 

His fast reflexes allowed him to snatch the phone out of the air, but his thumb his the screen and  _ shit- _

Was that the sound of a text being sent?

_ I didn’t. I refuse. I didn’t do it.  _

Kageyama looked at his phone, eyes wide. 

He did it. 

There, glaring up at him was the incriminating _‘I think ur a little beautiful’_ text that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his like. 

‘ _Oops. autocorrect. meant to say *i think ur a little bastard.’_

_ ‘because ur short nd sent me too many texts. annoying as fuck.’ _

He thought to himself, _phew nice cover,_ mentally patting himself on the back as he checked the clock and realized it was 5:30am.. meaning it was 5:30pm in Rio de Janeiro. Wack. 

_ Why are time zones a thing?? Who decided that?? _

Maybe it had something to do with sunlight and all that, but it was dumb and if time was made up anyways what about having it all be the same? 

Kageyama rubbed his eyes. It was too much thinking too early, and his brain hurt already. 

**Dumbass:** _ ‘pffft bwahaha autocorrect didn’t write that!!!!! U think I’m beautiful whahahahaha\\(//∇//)\’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘I’m just messin (≧∀≦) u wouldn’t say tht but u definitely would call me a little bastard. But don’t worry Yamayama-kun, I know you like the pictures (^O^)  _

To prove it, Hinata sent a photo and Kageyama almost dropped his phone again.   


Hinata looked back at him from the screen, winking while sticking out his tongue with his hair all messy and Kageyama’s poor little heart couldn’t take it. 

He was too in love for this “long distance” shit. 

After saving the photo, Kageyama checked his phone's calendar, counting down the days until the Olympics which were conveniently being hosted in Rio that year. Fate sure had a sense of humor.

Only a few more months to go, and excitement coursed through him. Not only did he get to play volleyball on the world stage and be one of the youngest in Japan to do so, but maybe… 

Just maybe.. 

He’d finally get to see the boy he’d been missing so much.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it. I’m just happy I had something to post on my regular schedule (*´-`) 
> 
> Anyways, comments and kudos are much appreciated and come talk to me on IG @sundance10_art <3
> 
> You guys really are amazing and deserve the best so I’m sorry this was a little less than that!!! I’ll work hard on the next chapter :)


	30. Operation: Shalalalalala Miss the Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long distance SUCKS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s technically Sunday where I am (=´∀｀)

Kageyama’s first season as a professional athlete finished for the year soon after Hinata left. 

His team had (of course) done well, but Kageyama made the decision to switch to a top tier team, the Schweiden Alders, who had offered him a position as their main setter for the upcoming season. The team already had Ushijima on it, and was on a completely different level than the team Kageyama was currently on.

He couldn’t say no to that offer, and had moved down to Oita city. 

Even though it was still spring, Kageyama could tell Oita was going to be somehow even hotter than Tokyo had been, but he was thankful it was less busy and much quieter. (To be fair, anything was quieter than Tokyo) 

**Dumbass:** _ “KAGEYAMA I JUST SAW ON THE NEWS THAT YOU SWITCHED TEAMS, WAHTA KAHAJAANQNQHHA”  _

_ Uh oh _ .. had he not told Hinata?? Everything had changed so fast, and he had been so busy going back and forth between the National team in Tokyo and Schweiden Alders that it must have completely slipped his mind. 

He didn’t normally text much to begin with, but this was a pretty big life event and he couldn’t believe he had forgotten.

It wasn’t that he didn’t miss Hinata, because he _definitely_ did, but texting had never come easy to him. He gave it a try anyways and did his best to explain everything, trying not to sound angry like Hinata said he did over text. 

**Dumbass:** _ ‘bwahahaha WHAT?! REALLY?? no fairrrrrrr(ò_óˇ)!! I dare u to say “move faster!” To Ushiwaka pffttt’ _

Kageyama rolled his eyes and sent back, _ ‘No.’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘I double dare u.’   
_ **Dumbass:** _ ‘I’ll even buy u ice cream when u visit me in a few months.’  _

Kageyama winced as he read the last message. His coach on the National team had told them that afternoon that they were to be under strict regulation during their time in Rio De Janeiro. Apparently, athletes used to be allowed to sight see during their free time but had caused too much trouble and were now required to stay in the Olympics designated area  _ only.  _ Not like they had much free time anyways.

Kageyama had yet to tell Hinata the bad news, but figured it was going to come up eventually….  Might as well tell him sooner rather than later. 

_ ‘u won’t get to buy me ice cream.’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘Kageyama it’s a double dare, U HAVE to do it＼＼\\\٩( 'ω' )و //／／’ _

Kageyama bit his lip in frustration.. maybe he could just tell him later..

**Dumbass:** _ ‘I’m so excited to show you around :) my roommate, Pedro, is grumpy as heck tho!! Well.. not grumpy.. just kinda doesn’t talk..’ _

_ Shit  _ Kageyama thought to himself. This was the third time the other boy had mentioned showing him around, and his excitement that had once made Kageyama smile, now made his heart ache.. He needed to say something before his heart decided to split into two little chunks.

Thinking about how to word it for a few minutes, Kageyama decided he probably shouldn’t tell him over text because he’d just end up sounding really rude (on accident, this time). 

He glanced at the clock to see that it was 6pm, meaning Hinata was just starting his day.

_ Sorry, Hinata..  _

He typed and sent ‘ _ Can I call u?’  _ before waiting another minute or so, tapping his foot against the floor in either nerves or impatience. Before he could change his mind, he hit the video call button, and held his breath while it rang once.. twice.. 

“GAH!!!” Hinata’s voice rang out through the speakers on his phone, and Kageyama almost choked on nothing at the sight of the other boy who had appeared on screen. There was a LOT of skin on display and Kageyama  _ wasn't ready.  _ Hinata wasn’t wearing a shirt, and judging by the fact that his wet hair was stuck to his forehead and beads of water were still running down his neck.. he must have just gotten in the shower. 

Kageyama was amazed his brain could actually look away from Hinata’s bare skin for one second and yup, that was the shower behind him. 

“Kageyama why’d you call me???!” Hinata whispered  _ extremely  _ loud, probably doing his best to not wake up his roommate if his previous yelling hadn’t already. 

_ Uhhh.. why did I call him again? _

“Get some clothes on, idiot.” Kageyama choked out even though he  _ definitely  _ didn’t mean it. 

“Bwuh?? I’m not gonna wear clothes in the shower??? You’re the one who called me anyways so you’re gonna have to just deal with it!!”

“If you were in the shower, why’d you even answer??!” Kageyama was thankful he didn’t have a roommate.. but then remembered that he was in a new apartment and maybe shouldn’t piss off his neighbors so soon. Oops.

“I panicked !!” Hinata whined “I heard the ringing, and thought it was just a phone callllll why’d you video call, you dummy??”

Kageyama hadn’t actually meant to hit ‘video call’ but it had just happened, and he couldn’t say that he wasn’t too upset about it.. 

Kageyama couldn’t help but stare at the lines of smooth ivory skin where his tank top had been, contrasting the sunburn flushed skin that dusted his shoulders. Hinata must have been spending a ton of time on the beach. 

_ Uhhhhhh really why’d I call him again? _

“You gonna say anything?” Hinata’s eyes shone with laughter. “If you just called to stare at me, I would’ve sent a picture or something instead.”

The snarkiness in his voice snapped Kageyama out of his daze, and he mentally apologized to his neighbors as he yelled “SHUT UP! I’m not staring at your dumb ass. I called because I didn’t wanna text you bad news.”

The laughter instantly drained from Hinata’s eyes and  _ fuck,  _ he should’ve just audio called after all. This was going to suck, and he didn’t want to see Hinata sad.

Inhaling and mentally steeling himself, Kageyama mumbled “I don’t know if I’ll be able to see you when I’m in Brazil.” 

His stomach tightened into a knot, as if voicing it out loud made it real all of a sudden, and he couldn’t breathe. 

Hinata was doing his best not to react, but the crushed look in the other boy's eyes was obvious and Kageyama hated that he was the one causing him to look like that. He should  _ never _ have that look in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry.” Kageyama whispered, “I’ll try and talk to my coach about it, maybe it can still work out.”

Hinata nodded, his lips pressed firmly together and for once didn’t say anything. 

“Fuck, I’m really sorry” Kageyama was getting tired of saying that.

“It’s okay!” it wasn’t okay. “I won’t give up! Maybe it can still happen.” Hinata forced a smile, and Kageyama’s heart tightened further at the sight. 

Now it was Kageyama’s turn to nod, studying the other boys face closely. “Maybe it can.” 

“I should finish getting ready, I gotta be at work in half an hour.” Hinata looked away

“Yeah, okay.”

“Maybe we could talk later though? I kinda don’t mind this whole video call thing” a small teasing glimmer reappeared in his eyes as he said “maybe next time you’ll be the one naked”

_ what. _

“Byeeee!!” Hinata waved before ending the call, and Kageyama was faced with his own blank expression reflected in the dark screen.

_ What…. _

“what the fuck” 

~

Kageyama jerked awake at 4:00am the next morning, sitting up wide awake and questioning his life.

He listened for a minute, but didn’t hear anything that could’ve woken him up and groaned as he fell back on his pillow, not sure if he could fall back asleep before his alarm sounded in an hour.

Reaching over to check his phone and blinking quickly as the bright light burned his eyes, he realized he didn’t have any texts. 

That wasn’t normal..

Hinata  _ always _ texted him throughout his day on the other side of the world, and Kageyama loved waking up to the messages. He opened the chat box, and rubbed his eyes to see… yup.. no new messages. 

While trying to figure out how he should ask what’s up, a text sprang up before his eyes. 

**Dumbass** :  _ ‘hey’ _

Kageyama’s brow furrowed in confusion… the singular ‘hey’ seemed so out of character for the other boy.. where were the emojis?? The exclamation points??

**Dumbass:** _ ‘bwuh u read it that fast??’  
_ **Dumbass:** ‘ _ stalker :p’ _

That was a little better, but things still seemed off.

_ ‘what is it’ _

**Dumbass:** ‘ _ rudeee I just felt like textin. That’s all!’ _

Realizing his text could be taken in a different way than he meant it, he quickly sent

‘I  _ meant like, what’s wrong?’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘nothinn’ _

_ ‘U fuckin liar. just tell me already.’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘just a bad day. That’s all.” _

Kageyama felt a small pang of guilt as he realized he had a part to play in that since he started Hinata’s day off in a bad way.

‘ _ Wanna talk about it?’ _

Immediately, his phone started buzzing in his hands as an incoming call showed that Hinata did, in fact, want to talk about.

“Mm?” Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut as light once again flooded his face.

It was late afternoon where Hinata was, and the sunlight blinded him briefly. 

“Hey” Hinata said again, voice tight as he tried to smile at Kageyama from where he was sitting in his room.

“What’s going on?”

“Like I said.. just a bad day.” He looked away.

Kageyama rolled onto his back and stared at his ceiling. “What made it bad?”

“It’s just..” Hinata paused, and Kageyama gave him time, knowing he’d spill it all. “It’s not really easy being in a place where I can hardly understand everyone and today I got lost and was late to bring someone’s food at work. And my wallet was stolen.” His eyes filled with tears and Kageyama didn’t blame him, he knew that the wallet had been a gift from Natsu and meant a lot to him. 

“Damn, Hinata-“

“ _ And _ beach volleyball hates me a little bit.” Hinata looked angry as he wiped his nose. “But I guess it does make it exciting.. it’s just frustrating right now.” 

“You’ll get the hang of it. You’re one of the most determined idiots I know” (Hinata was THE most determined idiot he knew, but he couldn’t say that out loud)

“Yeah. I know it’ll just take time, and it’ll be worth it. You’re going on ahead of me right now, but just wait till I kick your butt.” Hinata stuck his tongue out. 

“I’ll be the one destroying you” Kageyama smiled as he watched the competitive flame in Hinata’s eyes brighten. “This is your plan though, isn’t it? Keep me awake so I get so tired that I can never practice, and then you beat an exhausted me.”

Hinata giggled and Kageyama was relieved to see the tightness around his mouth melt away. Hinata always had such incredible mental strength, and Kageyama was so proud of the way he took any challenge life threw at him and stomped his way through it.

He imagined being in a different country all alone was extremely difficult, but Hinata took everything in stride, never allowing it to crush his spirit, and Kageyama loved that about him. 

“That’s my plan, can’t believe you figured that out with how stupid you are.”

“Am not.” 

“Yes you are” 

“You’re even more stupid”

Hinata smiled fondly while saying “you’re the most stupid” 

Kageyama rolled his eyes and thought about reminding Hinata he could just hang up on him at any time, but was scared that he might actually do it. 

“Thanks, Kageyama.”

His eyes met Hinata’s in surprise.

“I feel a little better already! I think the rest of the day will be okay. But you know.. talking like this sort of makes me miss you more.”

Kageyama’s heart jumped, but he knew the feeling. Seeing that smiling face through a screen somehow just made him want to see it in person even more. “Yeah.” 

“Maybe.. maybe it would be best to not talk as much. It just makes me miss Japan a lot” Hinata pouted a little. 

Even though it was hard to admit it, Kageyama felt the same way. “Same here.”

Hinata looked at him with his lips curling up in a smile, and Kageyama knew what he was about to say (and had to beat him to it.)

“-no I don’t miss Japan, dumbass. You know what I mean.” 

Hinata gave a small laugh and Kageyama watched the tightness in his shoulders visibly release. “Yeah” 

The two of them talked for a little while longer, Kageyama’s voice raspy from sleep and Hinata’s soft and quiet. 

Hinata had a really nice voice (when he wasn’t screaming)...

Kageyama didn’t want to hang up, but Hinata was right. Somehow, talking over the phone made him miss the runt a little bit extra. 

~

A few hours later, as Kageyama was getting ready for practice his phone buzzed beside him on the bench. 

‘ _LOOK WHO I MET.’_

Kageyema couldn’t believe his eyes, there next to Hinata in the photo was…. Oikawa!?? Frowning, he grabbed onto Ushijima who was with him in the dressing room and who Kageyama knew would be equally pissed off. 

The both looked at the photo before looking at each other, frowning deeply. Kageyama broke the silence “that fucking idiot.”

“Which one are you talking about?” Ushijima asked. 

“Both of them.” Kageyama muttered. 

He looked back at the photo and his brow furrowed even further as he looked at Hinata’s face, 

__ Fuck, he’s cute.   
  


Kageyama decided then and there that it wasn’t fair Oikawa could see Hinata’s cute face in person and he couldn’t. Absolutely not. 

He was going to visit Hinata in Rio whether his coach approved of it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week was ROUGH in terms of enjoying my fic and all that.. I love it.. and yet.. I overthink it smh 
> 
> Anyways check out my IG for this fic @sundance10_art and if you ever wanna talk about anything at all, hmu :)
> 
> Love you all ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡


	31. Operation: RIO!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who’s Kageyama again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls read the notes at the end :)

“And then I said ‘maybe next time you’ll be the one naked-‘“

“YOU DIDN’T!!” Yachi gasped before bursting out in laughter.

Hinata held the phone away from his ear for a second before yelling back “stop laughing!! I’m SO EMBARRASSED I want to die!”

Yachi laughed even harder. “I didn’t know you had it in you-“ she wheezed and Hinata bit his tongue at the way she worded that, embarrassed enough about speaking without thinking.

“He’s so stupid though, he probably didn’t know I actually meant it.” Hinata sighed and flopped backwards onto his bed.

“Have you guys talked much since you left?” She asked innocently, not knowing how much the question stabbed Hinata in the heart. 

“No. We really haven’t.”

“Why not?”

_ Why not? Because the idiot SUCKS at texting.  _ Hinata thought sullenly to himself. 

He knew that wasn’t the whole reason though..

Hinata had been keeping Kageyama relatively updated on the things he did, but they rarely talked about anything substantial, and he hadn’t done  _ anything  _ to change that. 

Why would he? It just made it harder to be away. 

It was easier this way.

“Hinata?” Yachi asked, voice laced in concerned at his lack of response.

“It just.. hard.” He forced a laugh to let her know things were okay, and quickly decided to change the subject. (not that he didn’t want to talk about it with her, she was his best friend besides Kageyama after all, but it was too complicated for his little brain to think much about). “Anyways, enough about me, how were final exams?? Your first year at university is done!!! Woo hoo!!!”

“Uwahhhh they weren’t too bad!! I didn’t have many exams, just final projects for my art classes, and I really enjoyed them.” 

Hinata smiled “you should send me some pictures of what you did, I really want to see! But I should probably head out, I’m giving lessons to a group of tourists in a bit.” He sighed, it wasn’t easy having a small window of time in the morning and evening to talk to his friends and family on the other side of the world. 

“Okay!” Yachi said, the smile evident in her voice. “It was nice talking to you, I miss you!”

“I miss you too, Yachi!” He yelled before saying his goodbyes and hanging up. 

Hinata wished he could say those words so freely to Kageyama. 

With the other boy, things felt different.. like there was more weight to the words: ‘I miss you’. Sure, Hinata missed both of them, but it just  _ felt _ different, and even the thought of saying those words aloud to Kageyama caused his insides to do that funky thing where they go all abwuagah. 

However, the thought of Kageyama’s constipated face as he processed the words would be funny to see if he told him over video call. 

Hinata wondered if Kageyama would say them back. 

Jumping up onto his feet, he slapped his hands to his face in a weak attempt to stop thinking about that stupid boy. 

Hinata was  _ finally _ starting to adjus to Brazil, although it took some time to do so. The first few months had been taxing both physically and emotionally, but he couldn’t help fall in love with the warm sunlight and colorful crowds. Thanks to Kenma’s sponsorship, Hinata could afford to live close enough to the courts on the beach, and every day he found himself wading through the loud streets teeming with tourists. He was beginning to enjoy hearing snippets of conversation in many different languages, sometimes recognizing a word or two, where at first it had just overwhelmed him. 

Rio wasn’t home yet, but each day passed in a blur of warmth, and Hinata embraced them all, soaking in every experience that came his way. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


The next few days passed by quickly due to each day being packed to the brim, and Hinata fell into bed every night too exhausted to think. He found that staying busy was the best way to fight off any lingering homesickness, and busy was almost an understatement to describe the way he had been living. 

Despite being exhausted, Hinata spent many long hours of his own time at the beach doing what he loved most. Everytime he played a volleyball match, he could feel the unwillingness of the sand beneath his toes, and the wind against the nape of his neck that wanted to interfere with the ball in the air. But the more he played, and the more he watched other people play, the better he learned tricks to overcome everything fighting against him. 

It had been an exhilarating few days playing with his highschool rival, Oikawa, even though it had been difficult at first to shake off the lingering feelings of “I need to beat the Great King!!!!” However, it didn’t take long for those feelings to shift into pure admiration at how fast the older boy picked up tricks that had taken Hinata weeks to learn. 

It had also been a welcomed break to be able to speak with someone in Japanese. Pedro tried, and Katou-san was around here and there for Hinata to speak with, but other than that his conversations with people were in Portuguese or English, causing Hinata’s brain to work extra hard (which was exhausting) and it was frustrating only being able to form very simple sentences. Talking with Oikawa was like a breath of fresh air for Hinata’s poor little burnt out mind. 

One night, the two of them had finished getting dinner after a particularly satisfying match and were walking towards the residential area that Hinata lived in and Oikawa was staying near, when their conversation began flowing into a more personal direction. 

It had surprised Hinata at first, because the past week they had been talking strictly about volleyball (and volleyball only!) when Oikawa suddenly asked, “Do you miss home?”

Hinata glanced up at him quickly and tried to read the expression on the other boy's face, but it was schooled into impassiveness as he walked with his hands shoved in his pockets. 

_ Does he miss it? _

“I miss the familiarity of it.” Hinata answered honestly. “I feel pretty stupid here because I don’t understand what people are saying, and I don’t know where things are half the time.”

“You’re just stupid everywhere, chibi-chan.” Oikawa teased with a small wink, lifting his chin higher as if insulting Hinata made him feel better. 

“You sound like Kageyama.” Hinata’s laughed 

“I do not!!” He gasped, “Kageyama just sounds like me.” He huffed and lifted his chin even higher.

Hinata laughed again, and a comfortable silence hung over the two of them. 

“You had Tobio-Chan wrapped so tightly around your little finger back in highschool,” Oikawa hummed thoughtfully “I’m almost surprised he let you leave him.” huffing out a laugh he tried to sound condescending, but it seemed slightly more forced than normal.

Hinata almost tripped over his feet, thankfully managing to stay upright as he nodded and said honestly, “I want to stand on the same stage as him. As equals. He knows that, and he knows I’ll be back.” 

“You’re doing all this just to what? Be by his side?” Oikawa looked surprised for a second before instantly screwing up his face in disgust “you’re gonna give me cavities, you nasty little kid!!”

Hinata laughed full out, clutching his stomach as Oikawa pretended to gag. 

“It’s not fairrr Tobio-Chan isn’t allowed to have that!” 

Hinata smiled and shook his head at the expression on Oikawa's face “You really are a crappy person!” 

Oikawa sighed one of the most dramatic and drawn out sighs Hinata had ever heard and said, “Iwa-chan used to say that about me too.” 

Hinata definitely didn’t miss the way he stuck his lip out, a far away look in his eyes that Hinata recognized every time he looked in the mirror. “Pfft- you two were really close too right?“

Oikawa pouted even further. 

“Wait… do you maybe-“

“Shut up!!! I do not!” Oikawa folded his arms roughly. 

“Bwahahahaha!!!! I didn’t even say it!!!” Hinata jumped up and down in excitement, unable to stop the warmth spreading through his body as he dug up a secret about the great king that maybe even Kageyama didn’t know about.

“Shut up, shorty.” Oikawa mumbled quietly, eyes cast down towards the ground. 

“It’s okay!! I won’t tell anyone” Hinata winked. “But maybe you could give me some advice because both of them are all GRAHH and scary and I’m scared Kageyama would just beat me up if I ever told him how I feel but maybe not, I don’t know, I bet you feel the same with Iwaizumi-san though, have you told him???” He couldn’t help the flood of words from escaping his mouth once he started speaking. 

“Of course I haven’t told him!” Oikawa gasped in outrage, as if the very idea was somehow offensive.

“Why not?” Hinata asked curiously

“Because we’ve been friends for forever!” He threw his hands up in frustration. “Whatever. I wouldn’t understand you to understand, you baby. It’s way beyond you.”

“You’re literally two years older than me.”

“Then do you get what I’m saying?” Oikawa’s eyes met Hinata’s, and he couldn’t lie.

He really had no idea what the heck the other boy was talking about.

“no.” 

“Thought so” Oikawa hummed in happiness and began walking even faster. 

Jogging to keep up on his shorter legs, Hinata was too curious and too determined to let it go “Why does that have anything to do with it?”

“It has everything to do with it!!”

Hinata wasn’t following the logic and was getting frustrated at the cryptic answer. 

_ Wait.. _

All of a sudden it clicked, and Hinata stopped jogging and stood in place.

_ Oh.. _

It put things in a different perspective to imagine what it would be like to be best friends with someone for almost your entire life, and he realized it put _ a lot _ of pressure on keeping that friendship intact. 

“You’re scared of ruining what you have.” 

Oikawa stopped abruptly, not turning around as he quickly mumbled a brief “I’m not scared.”

“You have to be!” Hinata clenched his hands and quickly moved to the other boy's side where he tugged his sleeve to pull him around. “There’s no way you wouldn’t be.” He looked Oikawa in the eyes and saw there was definitely fear there, whether he admitted it or not. 

All through highschool, Hinata had held a certain image of the Great King in his mind. He firmly had believed the older boy was in control, perfect, almost untouchable and definitely not afraid of anything. And he had a feeling that Oikawa tried to hold himself to that same standard… but looking closely at him, Hinata began to see where that image frayed around the edge.

He was still as confident as ever, playing a new form of volleyball the past few days hardly even shook that, but he was afraid. 

And Hinata couldn’t blame him. 

“How could you not be afraid to lose your best friend?” Pausing for a second, Hinata considered his next sentence carefully. He knew Oikawa was.. well.. a little proud (okay.. a lot) and might not take well to someone openly offering help.

Deciding to just go for it he asked, “you know what advice my best friend gave me when I was feeling a bit like that?”

Oikawa held his gaze and for a moment, neither of them spoke, but Hinata could tell he wanted to ask. 

“What?”

“‘Seduce him!!!’” Hinata jumped up to eye level, beaming as Oikawa recoiled.

“How do you even know that word?!!” He screamed “wait-“ his eyes unfocused “you mean you and my dear underclassman have-“

“Bwah! no!” Hinata yelped, cheeks burning hot “but think about it! Be just flirty enough and dress in a way that’ll make him just want to kiss you or something!! If he only thinks of you as a friend, he probably won’t notice if you keep the change subtle enough.”

“Chibi-chan,”

“Yes?”

“I hate that that actually makes sense”

Hinata cheered and pumped his arm in the air knowing that he’d have to tell Yachi she was a genius once again. “You’ll have to try it once you’re back in Japan!!” 

“You too.” 

“OIKAWA-SAN DID YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR BLESSING!!?” Hinata couldn’t contain himself and jumped gleefully onto his back, wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck

“GAH! NO!! Get off!! I hope you both end up alone and unhappy!! Stop getting snot on me!!!”

Hinata held on even tighter.

~

Back at the apartment, Pedro was sitting out in the main room and locked eyes with Hinata as he walked in the door. 

“Naruto?” 

“Naruto!!!!” Hinata yelled, launching himself onto the couch and picking up the remote. 

This had been the cycle of their evening the past few nights in a row, and Hinata’s heart felt warm and fuzzy as Pedro moved from where he was sitting at the table to claim a seat in what was designated as ‘his chair’.

The other boy had been quiet and standoffish when they first met, but now that they found things they enjoyed in common, conversation flowed relatively easy between the two of them despite the language barrier.

And speaking of the language barrier, when they had time, Pedro would help Hinata with learning Portuguese and in return Hinata would help him with Japanese. It was a fair trade, and Hinata knew it would be hard to say goodbye when the time came. 

He realized with a start that this was the first time he thought about the day he’d leave to return to Japan, and didn’t long for it to arrive faster. 

It was just the beginning, but Hinata knew he’d continue to love Rio more and more each day, and continue to grow in his love of the people he met there. 

As he gazed around his apartment, lights dim and windows open to welcome the cool evening air, Hinata smiled.

It was beginning to feel like home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a single Kagehina interaction what the HEcK
> 
> Also, you better believe once Oikawa was back in Japan he took Hinata’s advice.... but by just completely stripping naked and laying dramatically waiting for Iwaizumi to get home.. and you better believe it worked. Love them. 
> 
> Also also, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everyone for being so kind and understanding about me not posting this chapter on Wednesday♡ 
> 
> Your comments helped me feel so much better and even though I didn’t reply to them, just know that I read every single one like 5 times T^T you all are fr fr the best and I love you lots .°(ಗдಗ。)°. (And because I feel like y’all are invested now, I didn’t end up hanging out with that person sjsjsjak) 
> 
> ~
> 
> IMPORTANT:
> 
> I think just with the way life is going (I’m moving in A MONTH for school AHHhh!) and with the manga not done yet, I think I might end up posting only on Sunday’s. Ugh it hurts to move to just once a week.. but maybe I’ll be able to go back to twice a week later on!! I’ll keep you guys posted <3
> 
> Thanks again, everyone!!!
> 
> (IG:@sundance10_art)


	32. Operation: Reunite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely Queen_Kitty_21 created a beautiful playlist inspired by this fic AND PLEASE LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE ITS AMAZING!!! it fits these two in love idiots so well (*´꒳`*)
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qXxBB6KGkJPrpzsHNMV3j?si=syw8B9MLQDOGeGKG2B7_IA

Hinata caught two words in the question Pedro asked him as they were cleaning up after dinner one night: “girlfriend” and “Japan” 

It didn’t make his brain-cells work too hard to figure out what Pedro was asking. (yes he has more than one, despite what Kageyama might say).

“Eh?? Ahh no.” Hinata shook his head, diving his hands further into the hot sudsy water to scrub a spot on a dish that really wasn’t there. After a brief pause, he did his best to ask if Pedro had one, nodding as the other boy simply shook his head. 

He wished he could ask more in depth questions but wasn’t sure how to. Both because his language skills were sub-par, but also because Pedro seemed similar to someone like Kenma where it took time to get to know them and to have them open up comfortably. 

On the other hand, Hinata was very much the opposite and had no problem telling others all about himself (regardless of friendship level). “I do like someone though!!” He yelled, perhaps a bit too loud and smiled brightly thinking about Kageyama’s grumpy face.

Hinata was pretty sure the word he used for ‘someone’ was gender neutral, but Japanese didn’t have a strong emphasis on indicating the gender of someone/something whereas many Portuguese words had a specific gender, and it was something very difficult for Hinata to wrap his mind around. He made  _ plenty  _ of mistakes regarding it throuought the past few months. Dwelling on the language mistakes he’d already made since arriving in Rio always made fresh waves of embarrassment wash over him, so he quickly forced the thoughts out of his mind. 

Considering the fact that Pedro hardly reacted, Hinata guessed it was gender neutral. 

“Nice.” He responded and asked a question, but Hinata didn’t  _ quite  _ catch it. Why did everyone seem to talk so fast?? Going off purely by context and intuition, Hinata guessed the other boy asked if he missed them, to which he replied a quick affirmative. 

_ God, I miss him so much _ .

They fell into an easy silence, and Hinata tried to keep a happy, easy expression on his face.

Kageyama, at that very moment, was technically only about 10 minutes away.. the closest they’d been in over half a year, and yet he still seemed so dang far away.

At first, Hinata had been frustrated about living so near to where most of the Olympic activity was happening due to the increased traffic and tourists going crazy.. but he soon realized it was a good thing because he could be so close to Kageyama. 

Although maybe that was a bad thing..

_ Gah! _ It was SO FRUSTRATING!! Kageyama planned ahead (amazing) and had his phone set up to work once he arrived so they had texted once or twice, but he hadn’t been able to leave the Olympic village, and Hinata wanted to scream. It wasn’t  _ fair. _ It had been DAYS with him so close.

Every time he put on the hat Kageyama had given him, he thought about the unfairness of the whole situation. Before, he’d put it on and all it would do was give him warm feelings and memories of Kageyama placing it on his head, sun-kissed skin and a slight smile on his mouth. Now, it served as a reminder he couldn’t see that smile in person.

“Are you okay?” Pedro asked. 

Hinata knew that question well enough, because isn’t that the phrase everyone learns early on in a different language right besides “hello my name is-“ and “where’s the bathroom”? 

He nodded his head and gave a forced smile, not knowing how to say “I just really miss my cranky best friend and want to see him even if he’s a stupid jerk.” In Portuguese. 

Maybe he’d have to learn that one next. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Seeing Kageyama on tv, playing among the best in the world at the young age of 19 was quite honestly a punch to the gut.

Yes, Hinata was definitely happy for the other boy, and his heart was full of pride.. but having him run on ahead while Hinata was trying to keep up was frustrating to no end.

He remembered in highschool when Kageyama would walk down the halls, his long legs causing him to move faster than Hinata, and he’d oftentimes find himself falling behind if he didn’t intentionally try to keep up with Kageyama. 

It felt like that.

He could see the impossibly broad shoulders in front of him, easily taking steps that seemed to take Hinata double the time to take. 

Kageyama worked his butt off of course, and Hinata knew that it didn’t come easily for him.. but somehow that made him  _ need  _ to be better than him even more. 

He had to beat him. 

Hinata kicked his bike into movement as Kageyama scored yet another service ace, chest tightening and stomach flipping as he bit his lip at the sight.

Either in frustration or arousal, he wasn’t sure. 

Maybe both..

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


The tv screen blurred in and out of focus as Hinata attempted to keep his eyes open, having had an  _ extremely _ long day (..and maybe the fact that him and Pedro were on their 9th consecutive One Piece episode had something to do with his tiredness….) 

An explosion on screen rudely jerked Hinata back to reality, eyes focusing as more brightly colored explosions followed. He smiled, this was exactly why he watched this show. 

Along with the loud booming sounds coming from the tv, Hinata thought he heard the sound of something else… 

something not from the tv..

He reached for the remote to turn it down a few clicks as he strained his ear, asking Pedro if he heard anything and tried to calm his racing heart, sure that they were about to be murdered. It was after midnight, who the heck could it be besides a serial killer??? 

_ Knock knock knock  _

The sound repeated softly. Hinata’s and Pedro's eyes shot towards one another, neither one moving.

Hinata wildly gestured to the door, doing his best to communicate non-vocally that Pedro needed to answer it, but the other man started gesturing right back for Hinata to get it. 

After a brief battle to see who could gesture wilder, the two nodded and quickly stood up at the same time, staring at each other as if daring the other boy to chicken out. 

Silently, they crept towards the door.

Hinata hid behind Pedro's back as they got closer, jumping slightly as the  _ Knock knock knock  _ was repeated (louder than before).

Cautiously, Pedro slid the lock open. (yes, Hinata knew that if this were a horror movie that would be a big mistake, and they’d be the first ones dead) 

He held his breath as the door swung open to reveal-

_ BWAHH!? _

A man with a facemask pulled over his mouth and nose, cloaked in shadow with the hood drawn up and sunglasses - 

Wait- 

Sunglasses???? What idiot would wear sunglasses in the middle of the night ?? Surely serial killers cared more about their cool murder aesthetic than  _ that,  _ right?

Something about this serial killer sure seemed familiar though, even if Hinata couldn’t see his face…. As if the other man could read his mind, he pulled down his mask and (thankfully) took off his sunglasses 

“KAGEYAMA!??” Hinata shrieked, way too loud for the time of night and shoved Pedro roughly out of the way, grabbing onto the door handle as he contemplated closing it in Kageyama’s face out of sheer confusion. The other boy was scowling in that annoyingly pretty way that never failed to make Hinata’s heart race, but-

_ WHY IS HE HERE ???!!! _ ..  _ well the Olympics duh …. but WHY AT MY HOUSE??? _

Hinata was well aware that his mouth was hanging open, and really should do something to fix that. Instead of closing it, he decided to put it to use and said, “Your hair finally grew out.” 

_ Smooth _

“Dumbass, that’s really the first thing you’re gonna say?!” Kageyama’s scowl deepened, but there was the telltale set of his mouth that meant he was  _ really  _ happy. Hinata’s gaze tracked from his mouth to the rest of his body and he couldn’t help but bite his lip. 

Even though Kageyama was only wearing sweatpants and a simple t-shirt with a small duffel bag thrown over his shoulder with bulging muscles on full display and uhhhhhhh _ - _

Where was he going with that thought? 

Hinata was definitely staring. As much as he appreciated the fact the other boy had obviously been hitting the gym, an annoying pang of jealousy coursed through him. 

Kageyama was an Olympic athlete! Of course he’d have an awesome body. 

_ Olympic athlete _ .

Watching his matches on tv, Hinata knew he had put on extra muscle in the past half year or so, but seeing Kageyama fill his entryway was another matter entirely. He seemed to be strides ahead of Hinata in many ways, and his stomach tensed uncomfortably while looking up at the other boy.. did he want to run his hands along his biceps or push him away in frustration?

Hinata had no idea but should maybe close his mouth in case he was drooling..

“Shut your mouth, moron.” Kageyama mumbled, stiffly standing in the same place, hands fiddling with the strap of his bag. Normally he would’ve shoved Hinata's face or something, right? Maybe a head squeeze? Instead he cast his gaze to the floor and shifted awkwardly.

The averted gaze was what finally snapped Hinata out of his brief confusion, and less brief frustration at Kageyama for beating him in life and looking great while doing so. 

Hinata punched him in the stomach.

“You couldn’t have just.. told me you were coming?!” He roughly squished his fists into his own eyes, keeping them there as everything came flooding out, “In the middle of the night?? What if I was sleeping?! You don’t even know Rio, what if you had gotten lost or something?? Are you even allowed to be out right now!?”

He expected Kageyama to burst out in an equally aggressive defense, yelling in that abrasive tone and saying that Hinata was a dumbass and short and stupid and yeah… you get the picture. 

Instead, he was met with silence. 

Peeling his hands away from his eyes and finding them to be suspiciously wet, he studied the face he had missed so much. 

Kageyama’s lips were pressed tightly together, but his eyebrows surprisingly weren’t all scrunchy for once. His mouth parted slightly, and Hinata’s eyes instantly snapped to focus in on it as he said “I just.. wanted to see your dumb ass.” 

Before Hinata knew what his body was doing, he had jumped on top of Kageyama, arms wrapping around the other boy’s neck and inhaling that wonderful summer rain smell that hadn’t changed a bit. 

“You idiot.” He mumbled into the skin that his nose was buried in, and he sighed as Kageyama’s arms wrapped around around his waist, gripping his shirt tightly. 

Hinata was all of a sudden  _ extra _ thankful that Kageyama was stronger because that meant he could hold Hinata up even longer, right? Maybe they could just stay like this for the rest of the night? The rest of his life? Heck, that sounded nice. Hinata was ready for that, but the sound of a voice being cleared behind him snapped him back to reality and he remembered his poor roommate Pedro, who had no idea what was going on or why Hinata was hugging the serial killer. 

Regretfully, he crawled off of him and consciously put a foot of space between them as he faced Pedro, but Kageyama quickly stepped back against his side, grabbing his hand and looked at Pedro in a way that Hinata couldn’t quite decipher.. it looked like when he couldn’t decide which milk drink to get. 

“Grumpy baby.” Hinata told Pedro in Portuguese, indicating to Kageyama with his eyes so he would know who he was talking about. Pedro burst out a small laugh, nodding to Kageyama as he mumbled a quick greeting in Japanese. 

Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed even further and his mouth screwed up in a frustrated pout.. Suddenly, Hinata realized what expression he had been making. 

This was stage two of it, after all. 

This was his “I don’t remember” face (which Hinata had seen A LOT of during their study sessions)

The moment it clicked in Kageyama’s brain was obvious, and remembrance flashed across his face as he roughly muttered a greeting in Portuguese much to Hinata’s surprise. 

“Aw Kageyama, you learned some Portuguese!?” Hinata asked excitedly.

“Yes” he said, continuing in Portuguese and Hinata’s grin spread even wider. 

“Do you understand?” Hinata asked slowly, ununciating each unfamiliar sound 

“Yes.” He repeated.

“Did you two go to school together?” Pedro asked. (Hinata just barely followed the question) 

“Yes.”

Pedro nodded, impressed, and Hinata squeezed his hand. 

“Nice.” Pedro shook his other hand. “How was your flight?”

“Yes.”

Pedro’s eyes lit with understanding at the same time Hinata’s did, but Hinata quickly gave the universal signal of “shhhhh” to Pedro before Kageyama looked back at him.

Smiling innocently up at the other boy, Hinata asked in Portuguese (somehow the words coming easier when teasing Kageyama was on the line) “are you stupid?” 

“Yes.”

Hinata almost lost it then, and had to bury his face against Kageyama’s arm to hide the laughter that threatened to burst out of him. 

Pedro asked him something else that Hinata didn’t quite catch, but the way his eyes danced in laughter was a sure sign they were thinking along the same lines.

“Kageyama-“ Hinata began safely knowing the other boy couldn’t understand him. “marry me?”

Thankful for the vocab he’d picked up in the romance movies he’d watched to try and get familiar with the language, Hinata had asked it  _ mostly _ just joking.

Even so, Kageyama’s responding “yes” didn’t fail to punch the air out of Hinata’s lungs and all of a sudden it wasn’t so funny anymore. 

“You idiot” he mumbled, switching back to Japanese and looking away quickly. 

He didn’t want to meet Pedro’s eyes, because the other boy had  _ definitely  _ understood that question. As if sensing Hinata’s shift in mood, his roommate quickly excused himself, and after another brief “nice to meet you” to Kageyama he left the room. 

Now alone, Kageyama looked down at him, and for a second held his gaze. Hinata stared right back with rapt attention to every detail, the warmth of Kageyama’s hand in his own almost overwhelming. 

The dim lighting caused his eyelashes to cast fluttering shadows on his cheekbones, and his dark hair reflected the subtle light. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and heat settled in Hinata’s lower abdomen at the sight. 

“Hinata-“ 

“Yes?”

“I-“ They both jumped as the sound of buzzing emanated from his pocket, Hinata scrambling away from him with his cheeks burning. 

Kageyama glanced at the screen and swore as he briefly looked up towards the ceiling before opening the call. 

“Hello?” He asked gruffly.

Hinata heard a man's voice through the speaker, very loud and very angry.. “Kageyama, where are you??”

“Bathroom.” 

“Are you going to be much longer.”

Kageyama bit his lip, and briefly closed his eyes before answering 

“Probably. I really gotta take a shit.”

“Okay well hurry it along! You need to get a good sleep and enough rest for tomorrow’s match.”

“Yes sir” Kageyama answered, voice clipped. 

Silence hung between the two of them after he had hung up his phone, eyes trained down at the floor before darting up to meet Hinata’s. 

“You heard?”

“Yeah.” Hinata swallowed, disappointment clawing at his throat. 

“I had hoped we could play a little volleyball together.” Kageyama finally looked away, and Hinata was thankful that he did, because he wasn’t sure if he could hide the fact that he was thankful they couldn’t. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to play with Kageyama.. 

But what he was doing in Rio was his own, and he had only just begun. He didn’t want to play with the other boy until he could prove that it was worth it.

“We’ll play again when I get back.”

Kageyama nodded his head and smirked before saying “I’m gonna destroy you.”

Hinata’s heart leapt inside his chest “Yeah right! Just you wait and see, I’m gonna smash you in straight sets.”

Before Kageyama could even open his mouth for a comeback, Hinata once again wrapped his arms around him.

As conflicted as he was about seeing Kageyama again, he knew that he didn’t want to waste this opportunity to be in his arms because who knew when he’d get that chance again. 

Kageyama seemed to be thinking along the same lines, because he held onto his smaller frame tightly and buried his nose into Hinata’s hair, muscles relaxing underneath his hands.

It was a moment Hinata had needed, and tears welled up in his eyes. 

“I’ll see you again.” Kageyama whispered.

  
Those few words and the promise they held meant so much to Hinata, and he repeated them to himself as he fell asleep that night. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


“I know why Zoro is your favorite now,” Pedro said the next morning, smiling at him over his cup of tea.

“What?” Hinata asked, partially because he had been zoned out. 

“Zoro and that Kageyama guy are the same. And they’re both your favorite.”

Hinata was about to deny it…. before he realized.. it was kinda true..

“Ehhhh!!?? You’re right!!!”

Pedro looked satisfied with his discovery, and Hinata laughed. 

  
  


Kageyama really was his favorite.. Maybe (just maybe) even more than Zoro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the manga, Hinata says Zoro is his favorite character and I’ve never seen/read One Piece but I googled Zoro’s personality and it said “anger is the only emotion that Zoro often feels comfortable showing. “ and “he can also come off as a very blunt and cold person,” .......
> 
> it all made sense. That’s why Hinata likes Kags ....
> 
> ALSO I JUST READ CHAPTER 401 AND HOLY HECK!!!! 
> 
> —
> 
> —
> 
> SLIGHT SPOILERS:
> 
> —
> 
> —
> 
> —
> 
> Since COVID is canon in the haikyuu universe now I MIGHT add 5 more chapters because uhhhh KAGEHINA QUARANTINE !!!!!! 
> 
> If you wanna scream about the new chapters with me or just talk about anything, the IG for this fic is sundance10_art
> 
> I ALSO HAVE TWITTER (it’s mostly a Yuzuru Hanyu fan account but recently I’ve been posting more Haikyuu stuff) — @letsgocrazy2020 — 
> 
> Love you guys!


	33. Operation: Date ? ? ?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama tries something new. Proud of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE CHAPTER BWAHAHA!! 
> 
> Just a little something because Haikyuu is ending and y’all need it (sorry it’s not a fluffy chapter..)
> 
> Read end notes because IT’S IMPORTANT!!

The month following Kageyama’s Olympic debut passed by in a fast-paced blur of training, sponsorship deals, commercial shootings… and more training. 

Every night, he was thankful to his sore and tired body for making him fall asleep quickly and giving him no time to feel anything besides tired and satisfied.

His days off, however, were a completely different story..

His coach told them they needed to rest their bodies and what was Kageyama supposed to even do with his time??? In highschool on days they didn’t have practice, he’d just go play volleyball with Hinata. 

His apartment was so quiet and it was stifling to be in for very long, seeping into his pores and settling weightily around him.. But if he spent much time out in the city, he ended up even more drained thanks to more and more people recognizing him and stopping him in the streets for a photo or autograph. 

Days off could go to hell. 

.｡~☆~｡.

“You two need to loosen up a little!” Kageyama’s teammate, Tatsuto, said with a bright smile as they were changing after practice one day. 

“Loosen up?” Ushijima said, a frown on his face that was probably mirrored on Kageyama’s. “I feel good. I don’t think I need a massage, what about you Kageyama?”

“No I feel fine too.”

_What’s he talking about?_

Tatsuto laughed seeing their identical expressions and exclaimed “No I mean like.. in life! Go on a date with someone~ get laid~ you two are always so intense, and I think it would do you good.” 

Kageyama looked at Ushijima in confusion and once again saw the same expression he knew he was making. 

“What?”

“Would it really help us with volleyball?” Ushijima asked, a confused expression morphing into one of thoughtfulness.

“It just might!! I know some people who’d love to try it out, we’re all off tomorrow anyways so what else are you gonna do?”

Kageyama thought for a moment.. What was he gonna do? Watch volleyball games? Trim and file his nails to perfection for the millionth time? Do his laundry? There had to be other things, right?

_What would Hinata think if I went on a date?_

His heart jumped at the thought, as it did every time he thought about the other boy.. the brief interaction they had in Rio somehow only made missing him intensify. 

.. _But what if he’s dating people in Brazil and this isn’t even a big deal? and maybe this could help me know what I like.. it could be like a practice match._

Thinking about how fucking bored he’d be otherwise, he nodded and said, “Okay.”

“Really??” A couple other people’s heads turned in the locker room, and Tatsuto smiled as he exclaimed “I didn’t expect you to actually agree! There’s this nice girl I know who I think you’d really hit it off with.”  
  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

And so here Kageyama was…

Sitting in a small café..

Across from a girl who might be real cute but he could never really tell anyways..

Trying to focus on what she was saying, but he kept getting distracted, thinking about how the way she smiled didn’t light up her whole face the way Hinata’s did. Her skin was disappointingly freckle free, and her blue eyes matching his own were quite underwhelming to look at.. is that what his eyes were like to other people? He supposed hers were quite a bit lighter so maybe it was different. 

He caught the word “volleyball” and realized she was asking him how long he’d been playing. 

“Since I was around 3.”

“Wow! Since you started walking pretty much! You know.. that’s really impressive.” She batted her eyelashes, but Kageyama stared blankly back at her as she began talking about the sports she did in middle school. She took a sip of her drink, (black coffee) and Kageyama smiled a little as he remembered the disgustingly sweet drinks Hinata would order once in awhile whenever he was allowed to have coffee- normally it made him even more hyper than normal, and his mom had gotten mad at Kageyama more than once for enabling him. 

“Kageyama-“

_Hinata used to call me that._

_Oh fuck she’s talking.. I should be listening.. but now it’s too late to zone back in_

“Are you listening?” 

“I’m gay.”

Her eyes widened “excuse me?”

His brain hadn’t caught up with his mouth yet, but it felt right to say, and he knew he couldn’t sit there any longer listening to her drone on. 

“I like boys.” Kageyama stood up, pushing his chair out behind him and wincing as it scraped across the floor. “Well I don’t know that I can say ‘boys’ because it’s really ever been just one boy. I thought I’d try this out but it isn’t going to work and I’m sorry.”

He hadn’t meant to blurt that all out, nor did he mean to interrupt their date, but all of a sudden he realized what a waste of time it was and how he had forgotten his clothes in the washing machine. 

“No, no it’s f-fine.” Her eyes remained round and her mouth hung open in shock.

He quickly excused himself, the atmosphere inside the café all of a sudden felt too loud and too warm and stepped out into the even hotter September weather. 

Somehow, he could breathe easier in the muggy, evening air. 

~

**Dumbass** : ‘ _what did you do today??(*´∀｀*)’_

Kageyama paused wrestling his clothes out of the washer as he read the message. For a moment, he considered not telling Hinata what he had just gotten home from. It was a very brief moment, however, as number one: he didn’t want to keep things from the other boy and number two: he was allowed to date other people. There was nothing wrong with that, right? 

Even so, he didn’t end up replying until he had folded and put his laundry away and gotten ready for bed. 

It wasn’t that he was just _avoiding_ the question.. just.. _postponing_. There’s a difference.

Pulling the sheets up to his chin and turning on his side, he typed and re-typed his message before settling on: 

_‘Had a date’_

He watched as “read” showed on his phone and waited for a response… and waited … and waited … his heart jumped as he saw the three dots meaning Hinata was typing. 

**Dumbass** : ‘ _UWAAHHH WHATT!? how’d it go?’_

‘ _Sucked_ ’

 **Dumbass** : _‘I don’t know how to read that text. Like the date sucked orrrrr………..’_

‘ _Yes. It sucked. Real bad.’_

 **Dumbass** : ‘ _how so?’_

The lack of emojis was throwing Kageyama off, he _was_ texting Hinata, right??

‘ _They were boring.’_

- _They weren’t you._ He thought to himself. 

Kageyama’s eyes opened wide when the image of Hinata’s face filled his screen, (the picture Hinata had chosen as his contact info photo was honestly terrifying) and the music ringing from the incoming video call blasted into his silent room. His fingers fumbled his phone as he rushed to accept the call. 

Brightness flooded the screen, and he squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light. Hinata beamed at him as he set up his phone so he didn’t have to hold it, and started messing with something Kageyama couldn’t see. Probably preparing his lunch or something. Early morning rays of light shone through a window behind Hinata, and Kageyama’s breath caught in his throat to see a new dusting of freckles across Hinata’s shoulders, almost obscured by the darker tint to the boy's skin. 

He was breathtaking. 

“So??” Hinata smiled at him again and how do words work again? How does one speak?

At his silence, Hinata’s eyebrows rose and he yelled “you gonna give me details or just leave it at ‘boring’?!” He laughed as he rolled his eyes and continued getting his lunch ready. 

“Uhh-“ (doin great) “well.. a teammate set us up.. and I said yes.. I got there.. she talked for five minutes straight, and it was super boring.. so I left.”

Hinata gasped “Kageyama, you didn’t!!”

“I did”

“Bwahahahaha!! Poor girl!” The way his nose scrunched up when he laughed was really distracting. A curious look replaced his wide grin as he asked “was that your first date?” 

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry it wasn’t all GWAHH and BWAHH for you.” Hinata pouted. 

“If I maybe liked the person I dated, it would. I didn’t like this girl.”

Hinata smiled softly “I know.” 

And maybe.. because it was late at night, and that’s always the time Kageyama’s common sense left his brain, he mumbled “I haven’t really liked any girl.”

Hinata nodded encouragingly “That’s okay” 

His heart squeezed inside his chest at the confirmation. It was okay. 

“Yeah. They get in the way of volleyball anyways.” 

“What if- what if they also played volleyball?” Hinata asked shyly 

Kageyama’s heart jumped at the question. What was Hinata asking? Was he talking about girls still or was this something more?

“Then I guess that would be okay.” 

Hinata bit his lip and nodded, eyes darting down to focus on whatever he was doing in his kitchen.

 _Should I push the topic?_

“Was your first date ‘gwah’ and ‘bwah’?” Kageyama asked. 

Hinata’s intense gaze jumped back to him in surprise, and Kageyama couldn’t say that he blamed him. He would have never been able to bring himself to ask Hinata about Ami in highschool, because it caused him to feel sick and angry and _confused_. He had always avoided talking about her. Now, enough time had passed where he felt comfortable asking Hinata about it, and was genuinely curious about how it had been for the other boy. 

“It wasn’t as bad as yours, I mean I at least stayed through it-“ he paused to smile at Kageyama’s frown before continuing “-But I don’t think either of us really knew what to even talk about” Hinata laughed, looking off into space as he recalled the day all those years ago “I was so young and stupid I thought that was just how relationships always started.. I didn’t realize how-“ he stopped, and despite the tan on his cheeks Kageyama definitely saw pink rise to them. 

He was just about to push Hinata to continue, when a loud sound echoed through the phone’s speakers followed by Hinata laughing hysterically and shouting in Portuguese as he looked at something off screen. 

“Bwaha!! Sorry, Pedro just tripped over the couch and took the lamp out with him! I’ve never seen him do something like that!!!” Hinata was still laughing, and Kageyama found himself smiling along, just watching the easy expression on the other boy’s face. 

Eyes sparkling, he looked back at Kageyama, and Kageyama rolled his eyes before continuing their conversation and saying, “well you’re still young and stupid.” Now that the moment had been broken between them, he couldn’t resist teasing him. 

“BWUH!!?? But I’m older than youuuu!”

_Oh yeah.._

“You’re still stupid though.” Kageyama huffed. 

Hinata rolled his eyes, and once again Kageyama noticed what a nice shade brown they were. They reflected the sun, and he was thankful to his good phone service allowing him to clearly see the way they looked like liquid gold when the rays hit them just right. 

Yeah.. they were much better than anyone else’s eyes. 

Kageyama realized.. would he ever be able to date someone else? He’d never liked anyone besides Hinata before, and he knew it was okay to not be interested in anyone romantically… but he wanted to be with the other boy so badly it ached deep inside of him. He used to be okay with not being attracted to people and had been completely prepared to spend the rest of his life having never dated or kissed.. but Hinata changed so much when he entered his life in a burst of color. 

What would he do if Hinata started dating someone again? 

How could he handle it now, when he was fully and completely in love with the human embodiment of the fucking sun?

Kageyama breathed deeply out through his nose and said he had to go to bed, trying to ignore Hinata’s indignant shouts of “it's only 9:30 there, you old man!!!” (“I thought you were the one who’s old”) 

After they finally hung up, Hinata’s voice was fresh in his mind as he stared up at the ceiling, conflicting thoughts warring loudly in his mind. Sleeplessness was a special kind of torture that he hadn’t been subjected to in a long time, but it was shaping up to be one of those nights.

His brain normally did such a great job of shutting itself off.. Why did it have to do this to him once in a while?? 

Kageyama shoved his pillow against his face and breathed in deeply, trying not to remember the smell of Hinata’s dumb kids shampoo, and _definitely_ not the feeling of his soft skin against his own as he laid way too close (even on hot nights).

He missed those nights.

So much.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After that failure of a date, Kageyama and Ushijima spend their off days together and do dumb things like get boba and go to the movies. 
> 
> (I wanted to include that in the fic and it didn’t fit but I HAD TO LET YOU ALL KNOW)
> 
> ~
> 
> Reminder: it’s okay to not be attracted to anyone :) There’s nothing wrong with that and I love you lots! 
> 
> IG for this fic: @sundance10_art  
> My twitter: @letsgocrazy2020


	34. Operation: Don’t Imagine Kageyama in a Dress (I’m imagining it)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata’s whipped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news! (Or bad news if you JUST WANT THEM TO GET TOGETHER ALREADY) but I’m extending this fic to 50 chapters because there’s just so much that I have planned !! Mwahaha!!

Before Hinata even realized it, he’d been in Brazil for more than a year and a half. 

At the beginning, time had dragged along in no hurry at all. Each day felt like a week, and he wondered if it was going to feel like that the  _ entire _ time. Looking back, Hinata couldn’t even believe he had felt that way in the first place. 

The draw of the music and colorful crowds had somehow become home to him, and he was thankful to Pedro for continuing to tutor him in the language because even though he was _nowhere_ near fluent, he could at least hold basic conversations and had a general idea of what people were talking about.. most of the time. 

Their movie nights meant so much to the both of them, and they ended up learning a lot about each other in the process. He learned that Pedro may or may not cry during sappy romance movies, and that he once had a dog named Bean. There were only a few short months Hinata had left in Rio, and he was going to miss his roommate a lot. 

Not only Pedro, but he could tell within the first day of playing together that his new volleyball partner, Heitor, was going to have an impact in his life. 

They had quickly settled into a rhythm that felt comfortable and familiar, and they played well together. Outside of the court, Hinata enjoyed talking with him a lot and the two of them often stayed on the beach late, watching the sun burn brightly against the horizon line. 

Heitor’s girlfriend, Nice, was also fun to be around, and Hinata was so happy to have a solid friend group to hang out with. 

When they had asked him if he wanted to join them going to a bar after an especially productive day on the courts, he couldn’t say no! Pedro didn’t normally go out drinking, and Hinata hadn’t found anyone he was comfortable enough to go with yet, so it would be his first time and he was so! Stinkin! Excited! 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


The night lived up to his every expectation and by the end of it, Hinata’s body was sore from dancing and head fuzzy from one too many drinks.

Thankful to the cool air against his overheated face, he left the bar around 1am with Heitor and Nice, stumbling slightly as he stepped out onto the pavement. Heitor laughed as he caught his arm before setting him upright and patting him on the back. 

“I think we’d better make sure you get home okay.” Nice said, smiling at Hinata before her eyes quickly moved to Heitor where they lingered just slightly too long, the smile at her lips easing into an expression of fondness.

“Heh~ thank youuu!” Hinata tried jumping up and down to express how happy he was, but ended up almost face-planting and decided walking was the way to go. He hadn’t had  _ that _ much to drink, but was a little bit unsteady on his feet. Just a little..

_ Oo why’s the ground moving like that?..  _

“Shouyou, you sure were popular tonight!” Heitor exclaimed brightly, and Nice nodded along before adding, “Everyone kept asking me for your number.” 

The thought of multiple people being interested in him at once seemed foreign to Hinata, and he laughed loudly, “Bwahaha really!?”

“Don’t act so surprised, you had a huge group around you at one point.. did you even pay for a single drink??”

“I can’t remember!” Hinata giggled.. he had to have paid for at least a couple, right?

“I’m surprised you didn’t go home with one of them,” Heitor said thoughtfully. “I hope you didn’t feel like you had to stay with us since we brought you in the first place”

Hinata’s mouth parted in surprise, the thought hadn’t even occurred to him and he hastily replied “I didn’t want to!!” 

Humming happily to himself, he imagined how much fun it would’ve been to have had Kageyama at the bar with him, and how he’d  _ totally  _ out-drink the other boy!!! His brain helpfully supplied him with the image of Kageyama’s cute, flushed face when he had seen him drunk during that one team sleepover in highschool.. And then his brain unhelpfully supplied him with the memory of the way Kageyama felt below him, rock hard and rutting up against Hinata as he shoved his tongue deeper into his mouth, pulling his hair tightly- 

“Are you okay?” Nice asked, concerned.

Hinata belatedly realized he had stopped walking and was standing rooted to the spot with his mouth hanging open… thankfully not drooling. 

“I’m okay!! Sorry!!” Hinata stumbled as he caught up to the couple, pants slightly tighter than they had been a few minutes before. 

Thankfully, the rest of their walk home passed without incident. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Early afternoon the next day, a groggy Heitor and yawning Hinata were off to a much later start than normal. 

The warm sunlight was too bright in Hinata’s eyes as he gently set the ball in Heitors direction, the two of them waiting in the shade for a court to be open and people to play with when Heitor hesitantly began speaking..

“So last night you were pretty adamant about not hooking up with anyone, and I was wondering…” Heitor waited a brief second, and Hinata nodded for him to continue “do you just not do casual hookups or do you have someone back home? Or maybe you just don’t like that kind of thing because that’s okay too!” 

Hinata smiled and snatched the ball out of the air after Heitor bumped it to him. He held it lightly as he answered, “Oh I definitely like that kind of stuff! But my heart is taken!!” He playfully spiked the ball, but the other man missed it in the distraction of Hinata’s answer.

“Ohhh by whom?” Heitor asked, smiling. 

“Kageyama Tobio!!” He answered, just a  _ bit  _ too loud. (Ouch, his head) 

Heitor has just been about to spike the ball back towards Hinata, but faltered as he heard the name, staring in shock as he gasped “Kageyama Tobio?? That young player from Japan who was in the Olympics?? So it’s like… a celebrity crush?” He asked, puzzled 

Hinata hadn’t ever heard that term before, but he knew the words for “celebrity” and “crush” and it didn’t take his brain too long to figure out Heitor thought he didn’t even know Kageyama. 

“No!! I’ve known him since middle school, and we played on the same team all through highschool and we were the “fearsome duo!!” I’m way better than him and am gonna kick his ass once I get back to Japan!!”

“No way!” Heitor was still staring in shock “I don’t believe you!”

“I’ll prove it!” Hinata screamed as he pulled out his phone, the need to be right overriding his common sense, and he didn’t realize it was the middle of the night in Japan ( _ sorry, grumpy-yama _ ). 

Even though there was no way he  _ wasn’t _ sleeping when Hinata called, Kageyama still picked up on the third ring. 

At Hinata’s triumphant grin, Heitor ran to his side and Kageyama mumbled a groggy “If this isn’t important I’m gonna kill you.”

Hinata ignored the way his breath caught in his throat at the sight in front of him, Kageyama’s hair messy from sleep and  _ Aw crap- _ he wasn’t even wearing a shirt… 

“There’s a whole ocean between us, you can’t get me!!” Hinata yelled in glee, hoping the warm sun was a good enough excuse for his red cheeks. 

“No way-“ Heitor breathed beside him. 

“Kageyama this is Heitor” he said in Japanese “Heitor this is Kageyama” he said in Portuguese, loving the way Kageyama’s face screwed up in confusion. To mess with him further, Hinata continued in Portuguese “he’s pretty cute isn’t he!?” 

What an understatement.. 

‘ _ fucking hot’ is more like it _ …. 

Hinata’s eyes were glued to the sight of Kageyama’s strong shoulders peeking into view of the camera, long eyelashes fluttering closed on their own. He felt a  _ little _ bit bad waking him up, especially because he knew how hard he had been working and how cranky he was going to be the next day, but  _ wow _ he had missed the view of a sleepy Kageyama. 

Switching back to Japanese, he told Kageyama “Heitor didn’t believe someone as lame as me would know some king like you.” He rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

The corner of Kageyama’s mouth pulled up in a small smile, and all rational thought left Hinata’s mind and he completely blurted out unfiltered, “you look nice right now.”

Kageyama’s eyes jerked open, and he stared open mouth before mumbling “w-what are you saying, dumbass? Don’t be embarrassing.” He looked away to the side, but Hinata could see his pink cheeks in the glow of the phone's light. 

“Kageyama, you played really well in the Rio games last year!!” Heitor yelled, blissfully unaware of the conversation he was barging into. 

Kageyama looked at Hinata in confusion, and Hinata translated, thankful for the intrusion because wow was that embarrassing. Were his cheeks pink too? Probably. 

He translated for the two of them a couple minutes but knew Kageyama would be grumpy enough the next morning as it was and hung up quickly, proud of impressing Heitor and proving himself right (and seeing one of his all time favorite Kageyama’s: sleepy-yama)

“Told you”

“I can’t believe it.. and I think he likes you too! Even when I was talking to him, he kept staring at you all blushy-” Heitor sighed “Ahh young love.” He gazed wistfully out towards the ocean waves, somehow a salty breeze choosing that exact moment to gently blow his hair.

“Heitor you’re only 25”

“Hmm that’s true.” He nodded, still deep in thought, “But I recognize the same look between the two of you that I feel when I see Nice.” 

“Do you think so?” Hinata tapped his fingers together in nervousness before expressing his thoughts in one big rush of breath, “I’m just scared that while I’m away he’ll stop feeling that way.. or maybe I’m reading it wrong and he’s never felt that way. I’ve been away for awhile now and we haven’t even talked much.”

Heitor gave him a dumbfounded look before clapping a hand to Hinata’s shoulder and saying, “Don’t worry about him not liking you back.. trust me! It might take time to figure things out once you get back to Japan, but it’ll work out.” 

“You really think so?” Hinata beamed at him, hopeful that the older boy knew what he was talking about.

“I know so! Trust me, that man is in lovee”

Hinata laughed before hitting his shoulder and taking off his cap to wipe his forehead. Realizing a court had opened up, he picked up the discarded volleyball between them and nodded in determination. 

The longer he was away from Kageyama, the more he realized he might be a  _ little bit _ in love too. 

He hoped Heitor was right. 

  
  


_ Just a few more months. _

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Soft lights shone warmly around Hinata, and his tie hugged close to his neck. He watched as Heitor spun Nice on the dance floor, both of them filled with contagious joy that lit up smiles around the outdoor area that the wedding reception was held at. 

Hinata’s heart was filled to bursting, and even though he’d only known the two of them a short time.. he was ecstatic for the happy pair and knew they were starting a new, wonderful life together.

Earlier that week, Hinata had asked Heitor if he was nervous. He had responded resolutely, “Nervous? Not at all. Maybe a little bit about being under the spotlight for the light, but I’m not nervous about marrying Nice.” He had paused before continuing, and Hinata would never forget the words that followed: “Nice is my other half. I feel incomplete without her, and to be able to be joined together is something I’d  _ always _ be ready for. No matter what.” 

Hinata cried during the wedding, overwhelmed with happiness for the two, and maybe the thought of being able to spend all your time with the person you love, for everyone to know you belong to each other was too strong of a thought for his little heart. 

He wanted that with Kageyama. 

His two years were quickly coming to an end, and butterflies danced in his stomach at the thought of seeing his biggest rival again. Would Kageyama want something like this? A fancy wedding with many guests?

The light shone on Nice’s beautiful, sparkling dress, and a thought entered into Hinata’s mind.. 

_ Wait- who would have to wear the dress???  _

His mouth hung open, and all of a sudden he was having second thoughts about marrying Kageyama. The other boy would  _ definitely  _ make him wear it, wouldn’t he?? That jerk …

The dance finished, and Heitor must have noticed Hinata’s blank expression because he briefly kissed Nice and grabbed a couple drinks, walking over to hand one to Hinata and laughing as his zoned out expression didn’t change. 

“Why are you staring at my bride that way?” He teased 

“Heitorrrrrr I don’t want to wear a dress!!!”

“What are you talking about, Shouyou??” He laughed even harder. 

“When I marry Kageyama!!” Hinata took a large drink of whatever he had been given, nose scrunching up at the taste. 

“You don’t have to wear it!” 

“Then… Kageyama?......” Hinata trailed off and stared even harder at the white, sparkling thing in front of him as Nice talked with one of her friends.. trying to picture Kageyama’s muscular body and frowny face-

“Neither of you have to. You can both wear suits.” Heitor shook his head, smiling softly as his gaze returned to his bride. 

_ Oh … right … _

“Thank you.”

Hinata took another drink. 

As if they couldn’t be apart for more than a second, Heitor and Nice quickly found each other again and held each other as they softly swayed to the music, eyes alight and hands gentle.

As long as there were no dresses involved, Hinata knew that he craved that same closeness with Kageyama. 

His fingertips tingled with the memory of Kageyama’s soft skin, the short hair at the nape of his neck tangling between Hinata’s fingers as he gently swayed with him beneath the sky pouring rain down on them. It’s coolness contrasting the heat he had felt building deep inside of him. 

Since that moment; every time it rained, Hinata remembered the gentleness Kageyama had shown that day, the soft look in his eyes despite his protests of “no, dumbass” that Hinata knew he hadn’t meant. 

Kageyama had wanted him in his arms. 

Hinata’s heart filled with longing to see the other boy, and knew he was almost there. The training he’d put in at both the indoor courts and out on the beach had made an impact, and he couldn’t wait to show him that his time wasn’t wasted.. That he was a new player, a new person. 

But even though he was different, one thing would never change.. 

He was completely and utterly in love with his best friend, biggest rival, and closest partner.

(Even if he did suck at texting and would look bad in a dress)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama last chapter: I don’t think Hinata likes me :(
> 
> Hinata: marriage time. 
> 
> ~
> 
> AHH HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING AFTER TODAY?? I cried and feel so emotional.. the fist bump cleansed my soul and wow I can’t believe it’s over!!
> 
> If you wanna talk to me about the last chapter or anything at all: find me at IG@sundance10_art or @letsgocrazy2020 on twitter 
> 
> (Or just scream about it in the comments that’s fine too ;) I love talking with you/getting to know you in the comment section and I hope you know y’all are very precious to me ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡)
> 
> thank


	35. Operation: Reunite Fr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys are together again :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In an attempt to fill the void that this day brings (not having a chapter) I worked hard on this one and it’s 5,000+ words （╹◡╹）♡
> 
> Enjoy!

Of course it was the bathroom. 

Kageyama knew that’s where he would find him, and so that’s exactly where he went before the game even started. 

Hinata had been in Japan for _months_ , but neither of them had reached out to get together despite Kageyama low-key wanting to see him as soon as possible.

He understood why, even though neither had said it out loud. The two of them had always somehow found it easy to communicate non-verbally what they needed (at least when it came to volleyball)

But it was crystal clear to Kageyama that they needed to meet as rivals before anything else. 

He _couldn’t wait_ to show Hinata how much he had changed. 

He had originally planned to wait until they were facing each other with the net in between them to see Hinata for the first time in over a year, but he had been so full of excited jitters that his coach noticed and told him he needed to calm down. 

He couldn’t wait any longer. 

And so he set off in pursuit of …. the bathrooms.

Kageyama could hear the little runt before he saw him (of course he could) “Potty tiiiime, potty tiiiime” had never sounded so sweet to Kageyama’s ears. 

  
He rounded the corner and saw the back of Hinata as the other boy resolutely walked down the hall towards the bathroom door. A memory so clear in his mind resurfaced, and Kageyama smiled as he thought about seeing Hinata for the first time; standing outside of the middle school bathroom, knees knocking together as he shakily declared victory to a couple of Kageyama’s underclassmen nearly twice his size. His nerves turned into confidence before Kageyama’s very eyes, and he boldly declared that he would be the winner that day.

Middle school Kageyama had wondered why he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the annoyingly loud and skinny boy, but once they actually played, and he saw him fly.. 

he had realized.. 

that boy could be who his grandpa had been talking about. 

“Not gonna have any bowel issues today, are you?”

Kageyama could tell Hinata recognized his voice as his head whipped around, his smile causing Kageyama’s breath to stick somewhere that it shouldn’t have.

“Heck no. I’m not the kind of guy who gets stomach troubles before games anymore.”

Kageyama already knew that. He could see it with his own eyes in the very way Hinata carried himself: the confident set to his shoulders, smug grin and wide stance. Not only that, but he miraculously had grown since the last time they had seen each other. Kageyama was disappointed he hadn’t been there to see it happen for himself. 

As Hinata slowly walked towards him.. his eyes danced in that all-too familiar way, but there was an almost predatory gleam inside of them that sent shivers down Kageyama’s spine. He allowed himself one brief glance, and one brief glance only, to peak at the other ways Hinata had grown.

_Whoa.. thighs._

He didn’t reach out for the other boy, and Hinata kept a respectful distance, coming to a stop in front of him.

It wasn’t that Kageyama didn’t want to touch him (quite the opposite, really) but he knew that if he did…. he wouldn’t be able to let go. 

Hinata boldly declared he could even beat Kageyama in an arm wrestling contest now, and judging by the way his biceps looked.. Kageyama might actually believe him (but there was no way in hell he’d let him know that). The thought sent a rush of excitement through his body, and he wanted so badly to touch the impressive muscles that Hinata must have spent _so much_ time creating. 

He was a work of art, and Kageyama’s eyes lingered on the way his jersey stretched over his strong chest and shoulders. 

_Fuck_

When Atsumu Miya came up behind Hinata and settled his arm on one of the shoulders Kageyama had definitely _not_ just been ogling, he shoved his hands deep inside his pocket to hide the way his hands automatically clenched into fists. 

The words “ _my_ wing spiker” repeated over and over in his mind, but he was careful to not let the effect of the words show on his face. 

Hinata wasn’t his spiker anymore after all. 

He wasn’t his in any way at all. 

  
  


~

  
  


It was the best game of Kageyama’s life, even though he lost.

Hinata had goaded him on the _entire game_ , and he couldn’t help but love the excitement that hummed through his every cell. It had been electrifying, seeing the way the other boy moved. He burned brighter than the spotlights shining down on them, and Kageyama couldn’t take his eyes off of him even for a second.

He was breathtaking 

His years in Brazil hadn’t gone to waste in the slightest, and seeing him receive Kageyama’s serves _and_ Ushijima’s spikes again and again caused the blood to rush loudly in his ears. Kageyama was so unbelievably proud of the person his greatest rival was turning out to be. 

At first, seeing Hinata so easily accomplish what he had come to think of as _their quick_ with someone else had been a punch to the gut, but all negative feelings were quickly wiped away when he realized what it meant. 

It meant Hinata’s dream of fighting on his own, not merely being used by Kageyama, had finally come true. He was capable of doing amazing things with anyone, and could grow on his own. The thought caused a smile to spread on Kageyama’s face.

In the final seconds of the game, he knew Hinata had embraced his role as the greatest decoy… and completely shoved it down Kageyama’s throat. Even after all their years playing together, he still bit on the bait that was the small, powerful boy flying in front of him. He was overfilled with excitement unlike anything else he’d felt before, and he bit his lip before he could yell something embarrassing like “I fucking love you!!” 

Staring Hinata down as they shook hands after the game, the net frustratingly between them, Kageyama told him “you made it.” 

And he wasn’t talking about his return from Brazil.. No, he was talking about how he had been waiting for Hinata, someone stronger, his entire life.

“I’m here” Hinata confirmed, those words that had changed his life in their first year continuing to change his life even now. 

The two briefly, (true to character) argued about their wins and losses, but it was all an attempt for Kageyama to distract himself from reaching out below the net and _finally_ touch the other boy. His hands trembled in effort to hold himself back, not knowing what Hinata wanted. 

As if reading his mind, Hinata ducked down below the net before opening his arms wide. 

Without hesitation, Kageyama stepped in to wrap his arms around his waist and noticed with no small amount of satisfaction that Hinata still had to stand on his tiptoes in order to wrap his arms around Kageyama’s neck. 

“Took you long enough to get here.”

Once again, he meant more than just geographically. He had waited so _damn long_ for that ‘someone’.

“Aw did you miss me?” Hinata teased lightly, the words brushing gently against his neck.

And maybe it was the familiarly overwhelming smell of that dumb orange kids shampoo that Hinata apparently still used mixing with the subtle scent of sweat that was purely _Hinata_ that caused Kageyama’s brain to short circuit, and he mumbled “yes” against Hinata’s ear, feeling the small, powerful body in his arms tense at the simple word. 

Hinata probably hadn’t expected to hear it just as much as Kageyama hadn’t expected to say it. 

“But it was worth the wait.” He added honestly.

Hinata pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes and say “yeah.. I totally kicked your butt.”

Kageyama roughly pushed him away by his face and muttered “it won’t happen again.”

Hinata laughed into his shoulder, and he held on just a little bit tighter before letting go, sinking back down to the flats of his feet and gazing up at Kageyama in happiness.

“Next time, I’ll win again.”

  
  


—-

HINATA'S POV

—-

After finally reuniting with Kageyama, it was nearly impossible to force himself to join the rest of his team as reporters crowded around them.

Post-win adrenaline thrummed throughout his entire body, and it was an addicting feeling. Two years had culminated into this moment. Not only officially playing with the pros, but winning against Kageyama. 

The camera flashes didn’t bother him at all, but only added to the adrenaline and excitement. 

Hinata noticed Akaashi somewhere in the crowd making his way towards them and immediately looked towards Bokuto to see that he had already noticed him too and was gazing at him as if he wasn’t half-way across the stadium, but rather right next to him. His eyes were shining, and he had such a tender smile on his lips that Hinata had to look away.

It was too personal. 

_Why did I choose a gremlin of a human who doesn’t look at me like that??_

Hinata turned to look at said gremlin, and his breath hitched in his throat. Kageyama _was_ looking at him like that, and Hinata’s whole world imploded.

The expression was quickly wiped off of his face, however, and Hinata wondered if he had imagined it.. possibly just projecting his wishes onto the other boy as Kageyama glared at him from across the court and mouthed the word “dumbass” 

Hinata glared right back and mouthed “stop staring at me” 

“ _You_ stop staring at _me_ ” Kageyama silently yelled as he threw his hands up in frustration before a group of people wanting autographs surrounded him.

Hinata giggled and returned to the task on hand. He might have been new to playing in the V. League, but he already had no problem navigating the intricacies of the press and fans. In all honesty, he loved the attention and loved making people smile, and seeing his old friends amongst the strangers was a welcomed change. 

It felt good to be home, but _wow_ did he miss the warm Brazilian sea breeze and the friends he had made in that beautiful country.

Adjusting was hard.

~

The crowd slowly started to disperse, and Hinata turned, only to be surprised by Kageyama standing right behind him. 

“Gah!!” He yelled in surprise, throwing his hands up in a reflexive defensive pose. 

Completely unbothered, Kageyama said, “It sounds like our old team is getting together for drinks. Wanna join them?”

It still shocked him how much Kageyama had changed. Not only on the court, but speaking with him.. Hinata could tell right away that he was more laidback and open. 

All through highschool, he had begun to smile more often, but the smiles during their game had surprised Hinata. Kageyama seemed at peace about something, and the tugging sensation in Hinata’s gut at the thought of the way his mouth gently turned up in the corners hadn’t quite gone away.

“Awwe yeah!! It’s been so long since I’ve seen everyone.” Hinata smiled and wiped his face with his towel to hide how his expression changed. As much as he wanted to see everyone, part of him had definitely been planning on asking Kageyama out for drinks.. just the two of them. 

_We’ll have time for that later._

Waving goodbye when Kageyama was called away, Hinata joined the rest of his team as the stadium quieted down due to the people in the crowd slowly starting to filter out through the exits.

“Hinata!” Atsumu called once he saw him. “Bokuto and Akaashi are going out afterwards, want to go celebrate and get drinks with them?” 

Hinata knew he didn’t want to for more than one reason.. 

Number one: Kageyama. 

Number two: he knew it was going to be a special night for Bokuto and Akaashi, and he didn’t want to get in the way of that. They two had been dating since Bokuto graduated highschool, and Hinata wouldn’t be at all surprised if they ended up getting married soon. Maybe Bokuto would propose that night!! Hinata was so excited!!!

Number three: Kageyama. 

Did he mention that already? 

“Sorry! I’ve gotta plans with Yamayama-Kun” Hinata said proudly, looking back towards Kageyama. He smiled when he realized the other boy must have heard his name because he was glaring at him.. or maybe he was just looking at him like that in the first place.

Hinata shot him a rude gesture, to which Kageyama returned full force and- oh did he want to play that game?? They started vigorously trash talking each other with their hands and vague gestures, and it only ended when Hinata accidentally crashed into a water station trying to portray how lame Kageyama’s jumps were (they weren’t).

Smiling, Hinata followed his team into their locker room, proud and excited that he had _finally_ gotten to show Kageyama how much he’d changed, and seen how much Kageyama had changed both on and off the court. 

Victory sure was sweet when it was against your middle school rival (and love of your life). 

  
  


—-

KAGEYAMA’S POV

—-

  
  


“Bwahaha Hinata you sure can drink a lot more than you could in highschool!!!” Tanaka loudly pointed out as Hinata slammed his empty shot glass down on the low table they were all sitting around. 

Not to be outdone, Kageyama downed his shot as well, smirking as Hinata glared at him and refilled both of their glasses.

“Well in case you hadn’t noticed,” Yachi said proudly “he has a lot more body mass now.” 

“We’ve all noticed.” Daichi said laughing. 

_Fuck yeah I noticed .._ Kageyama thought to himself as he once again traced a path down Hinata’s body with his eyes. The dim lighting reflected off of Hinata’s skin, thankfully still tan from his time underneath the tropical sun. _Yup.. Definitely noticed_

“That’s true!! But let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of what happened that one night..“ Tanaka began and- _oh shit change the subject, change the subject change the subject._ Kageyama’s brain was working too slowly to think of what to say to interrupt, and Tanaka continued on blissfully unaware. 

“..As much as you both wouldn’t mind, I don’t know what your coaches would say about you fucking someone on the opposite team!!” A few other members laughed, but Yachi yelped before covering her mouth with her hand.

“Ryū..” Kiyoko said, placing a hand on his arm in warning, but even she was smiling slightly. 

“What?” Hinata asked, a puzzled expression flitting across his face, and Kageyama’s stomach tightened painfully. Hinata didn’t remember that night, and everyone thought they had sex…

_What if Tanaka tells everyone we did, and Hinata thinks I lied to him?_

He opened his mouth to tell Tanaka to shut up when the other boy yelled, completely unaware of Kageyama’s growing unease “Yeah!! You two were all over each other, then left for the bedroom-“ 

“-It was disgusting.” Tsukki interrupted.

“But we didn’t have sex.” Hinata said matter-of-factly, and Yachi nodded as if she knew that already. 

“What?? Really?” Yamaguchi asked in surprise. 

Besides Suga and Yachi, everyone's eyes alternated between the two of them, awaiting an answer, and Kageyama shifted uncomfortably.

“We didn’t.” Hinata confirmed “I had wanted to.. but Kageyama said no because we were drunk.”

_Huh-_

Kageyama wasn’t sure what surprised him most… the fact that Hinata apparently _did_ remember that night, or the fact that he had wanted it too.

“Yeah” Kageyama confirmed, studying his drink as everyone stared holes into him. 

_Is it that hard to believe ??_

“I guess we all just assumed….” Asahi trailed off.

“Wait.. I’m a little bit lost.. but weren’t some of you underage then??” Daichi asked, putting two and two together. 

“Anyways!!” Suga brightly yelled “Did you all hear the news about coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei being engaged??” 

Kageyama was grateful for the change of subject, and subtly peaked at Hinata out of the corner of his eye. The other boy was responding to the news, hands flailing in excitement, but Kageyama barely heard what he was saying. The alcohol was sitting funny in his stomach, and his mind started doing that dumb thing where it thought thoughts (annoying).

_He remembered, but didn’t say anything. Even though he said he wanted to do it, maybe he was embarrassed the next morning.. he’d never brought it up so maybe he’s still embarrassed. Maybe it grossed him out.. shit I should’ve asked him about it more. I hope he’s not upset-_

“You okay?” Hinata asked softly as the rest of the team talked amongst themselves

“Mhmm” he answered, fingers tightening around his drink. “‘m fine.”

He expected Hinata to push the subject (he was really good at that), but instead he held up his glass to clink it against Kageyama’s. 

Kageyama didn’t really like sake, but everything turned into a competition between them, and it wasn’t too long before they’d all emmassed an impressive array of empty bottles. However, Kageyama had been careful to not get _too_ drunk, because he really didn’t want to do something stupid like accidentally kiss Hinata or anything.. and he wanted to be able to enjoy their time together without feeling like crap. Even so, he knew his tongue was a lot looser than it would have been normally.

“I don't like-“ Kageyama slurred quietly, just to Hinata, “what he calls you.” He buried his head in his palms, positive his face was red from the drinks. 

He felt a small hand, still so familiar despite the time that had passed, tug at his sleeve, and he reluctantly looked at Hinata as the room spun slightly around him. “What do ya mean?” 

Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed “he calls you by your first name.” 

“Who does?” Hinata asked softly while smiling at him.

 _fuck_ \- _why didn’t I move to Brazil to see that dumb smile every day??!_

“Miya-san.”   
  
In all honesty, Kageyama knew that it wasn’t fully about the name. Heck, Miya called him Tobio the first time he met him after all.... it was more about the way he had called him _his_ spiker earlier that day that got on his nerves. It really wasn’t a huge deal, because Kageyama knew he had every right to say it... but being drunk caused every small thought to be blown to a bigger proportion, and slip right out of his loose lips. 

Understanding dawned on Hinata’s face before his mouth quickly screwed up into a pout that was _impossibly_ cute and gave him way too much power “I didn’t say he could.” 

“You mean.. you don’t like it?” His blood was rushing in his ears, and he pushed his drink away, not wanting to have any more. He wanted to ask what Hinata thought about being _his_ spiker, instead of Kageyama’s.

Hinata shook his head “It feels too personal. Even though we’ve been playing on the same team for a few months, we haven’t really gotten to that level, you know? But he’s like that with everyone.”

Kageyama nodded, slightly ashamed at the relief coursing through his body. 

“BWAHAHA!!” 

He jumped at Tanaka’s loud laugh, reluctantly looking away from Hinata to see a _very_ drunk Yamaguchi attempting to fit his sock over Tsukishima's head. 

Kageyama looked back at Hinata and watched as he laughed, eyes alight with happiness and cheeks flushed pink. Even though the other boy had definitely changed and grown, that same sense of childlike joy shone through clearly. Kageyama’s heart constricted within his chest, and he rested his head on the table, staring at his lap. 

Hinata wrapped his hand around his wrist, and bolts of electricity traveled down his spine at the touch. 

He heard Hinata tell everyone, “I think I better get this guy to bed, because if he falls asleep here, I’d just have to leave him.” Kageyama blinked up at him but didn’t move his head off the table. 

“Aw you wouldn’t carry him?” Yachi laughed 

“No way his little twig arms could lift me.” Kageyama huffed 

“Aw come-on!” Hinata nudged him with his shoulder, “I said I could probably beat you in an arm wrestling competition now, I could drag you a few blocks if I really wanted to.”

“I can still beat your weak ass.” Kageyama sat up straight and held out his hand, head much clearer now that his pride was on the line. 

“Arm wrestle! Arm wrestle!” Yamaguchi began chanting and it was soon taken up by all of their old teammates. 

Hinata’s eyes sparkled as he jumped up to move to the opposite side of the table, wobbling slightly (which only seemed to make his eyes shine more). 

They grasped each other's hand, and Kageyama swallowed deeply as he noticed the feeling of the smaller hand, rough in some areas from volleyball, and yet still so soft everywhere else. 

His blood pumped loudly in his ears, and he had a feeling it wasn’t just because of competitiveness..

“Ready.. and GO!” Daichi said loudly in Kageyama’s ear. 

Kageyama furrowed his eyebrows as he forcefully gripped Hinata’s hand and surprisingly…. Didn’t force it to the table ..??? 

All throughout highschool, Kageyama could have beat him rather quickly. (Although to be fair, during their third year Hinata had increasingly put up more of a fight). 

Now, however.. He was finding that no matter how hard each of them tried, their hands didn’t move more than an inch or two to the side. 

His first mistake was noticing Hinata’s biceps. 

The way the muscles that definitely hadn’t been that pronounced before bulged in Hinata’s strain to win. 

His hand slipped an inch. 

His second mistake was noticing the intense look of concentration on the other boy’s face and the way he bit his lip while he groaned. 

His hand slipped another inch. 

“Oh?” Tsukki mumbled in surprise.

_There’s no way that bastard is seeing me lose._

Kageyama grit his teeth and forced his hand back to the center, both of them trembling and neither willing to give up. 

Hinata, loud as always, yelled and his foot jerked out in front of him to get more leverage, but he jerked it a little too far and kicked Kageyama..

..Right where it hurts the most. 

“Fuck!” Kageyama cried out, and he barely felt the pain of his hand slamming into the table over the pain that was emanating from between his legs. He doubled over as everyone cheered, drowning out Hinata’s yells of “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!!”

“Hinata you won, why are you apologizing!??” Suga laughed.

“He kicked me in the nuts!!!” Kageyama yelled and groaned.

“BWAHAHAHA” Tanaka clutched his stomach as he almost fell backwards laughing, Kiyoko keeping him steady. 

“I’m sorrrryyyyy!!!” Hinata was somehow already over at his side, his concerned gaze quickly jumping from his face to his lap. 

“That doesn’t count as a win.” Kageyama muttered, sitting up and ignoring the lingering soreness. Everyone laughed before moving on from his pain, asking the two of them more about the training they’ve been doing, and soon conversation flowed into their future plans. 

As nice as it was to see everyone, a small part of Kageyama just wanted to spend time with Hinata. To have his attention on him alone. It had been so damn long since he’d had that, and _wow_ he missed the boy sitting against his side (although, his dick was still throbbing so maybe he hadn’t missed him _that_ much, the little jerk).

That was a lie.. he missed him so much.

_It’s getting late.. what if he just wants to go back to his hotel and sleep? He’s probably tired .._

“Wanna come back to my hotel with me?” Hinata asked him quietly as Asahi and Tanaka were debating which sake brand was the best. 

“Sure.” Kageyama breathed out, realizing how much closer Hinata had gotten to him. 

He stood up quickly, disrupting Hinata at his side, and announced that he was leaving first as he thanked everyone for taking the time to watch his game and treat him to drinks. Hinata stood up as well and said his goodbyes, a silent and brief mental conversation passing between him and Yachi before they donned their coats and waved at their friends before leaving the warm shop.

“Are you drunk?” Hinata asked, breathing out a visible puff of air into the cold night. 

“No. It’s amazing what a kick to the groin can do to sober you up.” He shoved his hands into his pockets to protect them from the biting wind, and walked a little faster (even though he wasn’t sure which direction Hinata’s hotel was in). The cold wind also helped sober him up, and he was pleased to note that the world was mostly finished spinning.

“Heh oops.. You still walk way too fast with those big ol’ bean legs, you know that?” Hinata huffed.

“And you still walk to slow with those little marshmallow legs.”

He heard Hinata gasp in shock behind him and looked back, smirking, but that was a _mistake_ because Hinata always looked really good in the winter (and every other time of year)

His cheeks were flushed from the cold, and Kageyama stumbled a little at the sight of the tip of his nose pink from it. His fluffy coat made the rest of him look extra soft, and the street lights reflecting in his eyes burned intensely, warming Kageyama to the core. 

“What?” Hinata asked, a little too breathless considering he was a pro level athlete .. 

“Where are we even going?” 

Hinata laughed and tucked his arm in Kageyama’s, tugging him along as he’d done many times before.

_I forgot how damn touchy he was._

But like normal, Kageyama went along with it, not even complaining when an icy as fuck hand shoved itself against his own in his pocket. 

(It warmed up soon enough).

  
  


~

  
  


“I don’t have a toothbrush” Kageyama mumbled from where he was standing in Hinata’s bathroom doorway. 

Their usual nighttime routine was different than it had been growing up, which wasn’t surprising considering that they were in a new space and practically new people. 

“Oh you can just use mine!” Hinata shouted from where he was rustling in his suitcase.

“The fuck I am. That’s disgusting.” 

Hinata paused from where he was _somehow_ making noise simply by looking for something and looked up at Kageyama with a guilty expression.

“What, dumbass?”

“Well.. back in high-school… before I had a toothbrush at your house……” Hinata stopped speaking and looked away. 

“You didn’t.”

“I did.” 

Kageyama stayed silent as Hinata squirmed under the judgemental glare, but broke his silence to say, “I’m gonna dunk yours in the toilet.”

“Kageyamaaaa!!” Hinata screamed, jumping up before seeing the expression on his face and realizing he was just teasing. He shone the full power of his impossibly bright smile at him, and Kageyama had always been so weak to that. 

“Whatever. I’ll just use yours this once.” 

As he furiously scrubbed his teeth, Kageyama tried his best to not think about where that toothbrush had been and how this was _definitely_ _not_ an indirect kiss.

He stepped out of the bathroom and realized.. not only did he not have his toothbrush.. he didn’t have anything else on him besides his duffle bag with his gym gear in it. 

“I know you’ve put on weight-“ he began

“-don’t say it like that, idiot“

“-but you still look too small for me to squeeze into anything of yours.” 

Hinata’s mouth opened in outrage, but his open-mouthed expression quickly morphed into one of surprise (and maybe something more) as Kageyama slowly pulled off his shirt. 

He normally slept without it anyways, but when he saw the wide-eyed expression on Hinata’s face, he knew that he would have taken it off regardless. Despite the alcohol still humming through him, shyness slowly crept into his bones as he unzipped his pants and slid them off. (they’d be uncomfortable to sleep in anyways)

Glancing up at Hinata through his bangs, he was satisfied to see the way the other boy ran his eyes all over the skin he had just exposed….

Was he just imagining the tension?

 _Maybe he’s just looking at your muscles from an athletes point of view._ He chided himself. _That’s all._

Kageyama objectively knew that his body was impressive, after all, he had spent long hours in the gym to make them that way. Maybe Hinata was thinking about how many reps he does and at what weight. 

Hinata cleared his throat, and quickly looked away, crossing his legs. 

_Yeah.. definitely just an athletes view._

“This feels kind of like high-school again.” He mumbled.

An idea lit up Hinata’s eyes, and he jumped off of the bed before snatching Kageyama’s shirt and running into the bathroom calling out behind him “You’re right! Which means I have my own personal comfy clothes store back again, yay!!”

Kageyama rolled his eyes and turned off the light before he got into bed, turning on the dim bedside lamp and trying not to think about how Hinata was getting undressed.. fabric sliding over soft skin as he tugged Kageyama’s shirt on.. it probably smelled like him and now Hinata was-

 _Fuck I’m thinking about it_. 

To distract himself (and mentally will away the tightening in his boxers) Kageyama looked around the small hotel room. He had noticed when he walked in that there were two double beds, but he hadn’t noticed the extra baggage in the corner.. or the extra pair of slippers by the door.

Hinata threw open the door and ran across the room before leaping on top of the bed (and Kageyama) eyes wide. 

“OW! You dumbass, don’t knee me there again!! Are you still scared of the hall demon??”

“No” 

“You liar.” 

In response, Hinata quickly wiggled under the covers, elbowing Kageyama just like he had when they’d shared a bed before.. only now he was a lot stronger and that made a _big_ difference. 

“Oi- Don’t elbow me there, either!!

Despite the elbowing, Hinata still left a good few inches of space between them.. impressive considering how small the bed was. Kageyama would’ve been pressed for space with his 6’ 2” body on its own.. let alone squeezing Hinata on too. 

It was silent for a beat, and _wow_ it had been so long since they’d had any time to talk in person.. what should he say? He refused to look at Hinata because he already knew he’d look damn good in the low lighting. 

“Who’s in the other bed?”

“No one right now, silly.” Hinata teased. 

Kageyama broke his ‘no looking at Hinata’ rule to grip the familiar and yet oh-so different mop of orange hair.. unable to get quite as good of a grip as he had when it was longer. 

“Ow ow ow!! Okay I knew what you meant! I was teasing!! It’s just Atsumu.” 

Kageyama fought down that familiar bubble of jealousy. It was fine! Most teams rent double rooms to cut back on cost. Heck, he was rooming with Ushijima for cryin out loud.. No big deal.. 

“Your face is scary”

“Shut up, idiot.” Kageyama slid his hand down from Hinata’s hair to squeeze his cheeks in his hand, thankful they were just as round and squishy as they had been during highschool.. only slightly more defined. 

Hinata jabbed him in the side to get him to release his hold, but instead of letting go completely, Kageyama gently moved his fingertips along Hinata’s cheeks before pulling away. He turned over onto his back and returned to not looking at Hinata again. 

The stark white hotel blankets smelled vaguely of chlorine, and Kageyama focused on the way they felt underneath his fingertips as he pulled the sheet further up his chest. 

“You played okay today.” He muttered to break the silence (and because Hinata had been incredible)

“I see you still suck at giving compliments. Was it really _just_ ‘okay’?” Hinata teased 

“It was maybe a _little_ better than okay”

“As much as I’m happy to see one thing about you hasn’t changed, I want you to admit I totally crushed you today.” Kageyama could hear that confident smirk in his voice that had been driving him insane all through their game. 

“We still took a set so I don’t know about ‘ _crushed’_. Just wait until next time.”

“Hmm.. next time.” Hinata sleepily mumbled, testing the words out. “Next time.” He repeated happily.

Kageyama mumbled a sound of agreement, hating the way his eyes were already wanting to close. It had been a long day, and he was so damn comfortable. 

Heat poured off of Hinata’s body, warming him to the bones in the chilly room, and he wanted to reach out and pull him even closer. His fingers twitched where they were resting on his chest, but he managed to keep them to himself. 

Gently, hoping Hinata would think it was just an accident, Kageyama moved his knee so that it rested against Hinata’s leg. Just that small touch ripped all thoughts from his mind, and he was so hyperfixiated on the feeling of Hinata’s warmth against his bare skin that he had _no_ idea what the other boy was saying. 

They ended up softly talking together for another hour, both fighting off sleep as best as they could to stay up “just a few minutes more.”

Just a few minutes was such a small amount of time compared to what he wanted. 

Kageyama could give the rest of his “minutes” and still not be satisfied, but he’d take what he could get. Just being beside Hinata, listening to his soft voice and happy laughter, seeing the mischievous gleam in those molten eyes was enough. 

As his consciousness slowly ebbed, Kageyama had one final thought before he was fully pulled under..

_I can’t wait to wake up and see him again tomorrow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much was covered in this chapter, I’m super curious about what part you enjoyed the most\\(//∇//)\
> 
> And how are y’all doin without Haikyuu this week?? T^T I feel super sad and just meh :( 
> 
> (Yes, Kageyama’s thought of “wow thighs” was a Jungkook reference) 
> 
> IG: @sundance10_art  
> Twitter: @letsgocrazy2020


	36. Operation: Make It the Best♡

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh you wanted a heck ton of fluff with a little smut?..... here you go (^з^)-♡

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another 5,000+ word chapter let’s gooooo
> 
> (!!End of chapter notes hold an important update!!)

Hinata slowly awoke to the once familiar feeling of a solid weight around his waist that he hadn’t felt in a  _ very  _ long time. Without opening his eyes, he knew exactly what that weight was, and an easy smile spread across his face. 

A wall of warmth was pressed solidly against Hinata’s back, and he wiggled even closer to that wonderful heat that he had missed so much. He could feel Kageyama’s soft puffs of breath against the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine, and his toes curled at the feeling. 

_ Uh oh..  _

It had been over two years since they’d shared a bed, and Hinata was finding that his body was reacting to it in ways that weren’t necessarily surprising… but nonetheless unwanted. 

But could you blame him?? Kageyama’s shirt that he stole the night before had ridden up during his sleep, and he could feel the firm ridges of the other boy’s abs pressed against his bare lower back. He still couldn’t believe how huge Kageyama had gotten, and part of him was thankful he was facing away because the sight of his bare chest this early in the morning would have him doing something incredibly embarrassing. As it was, just imagining it had his boxers feeling a little extra tight. 

_ I need to take care of this before he wakes up… maybe it’ll just go away?..  _

Kageyama’s arm moved in his sleep, and the soft brush of skin against Hinata’s waist sent electricity shooting down his spine, and his hips unconsciously pressed backwards. 

_ Yeah.. this ain’t goin away. _

Normally Kageyama was the one to wake up early, and Hinata said a silent prayer of thanks for being the one to see the light of day first (which gave him the opportunity to do what needed to be done). 

He cracked open his eyes to plot out his best course of action and saw that Atsumu must have returned sometime during the night because there was  _ definitely _ another human being in the room.. Even though he hadn’t done anything with Kageyama, this was awkward as heck. 

He slowly started to pull himself away from Kageyama’s grip, but when he moved, the other boy held on even tighter, pulling him in close and nuzzling into the back of his neck. 

Hinata breathed out a small sigh and closed his eyes at the feeling. His ass was pressed right up against Kageyama’s hips and everywhere they connected felt  _ so good _ . He wished their clothes weren’t in the way, and he bit his lip as his dick twitched in interest.

Hinata gently pressed a hand against himself and hissed at the pressure as his eyes squished shut. He had done this enough times while in Brazil, often while looking at Kageyama’s sponsorship features or the rare photo Kageyama would send, but actually being with him in the same bed was causing his blood to hum with desire. 

Breathing in deeply, he smelled the subtle summer rain scent that he had missed so much and noticed how it clung to the shirt he was wearing.

Hinata palmed himself with a little more intention, fully hard and aching as he gently moved back and forth against his hand, pressing against Kageyama’s hips in the process.

In answer, Kageyama breathed out a small sigh in his sleep, and his hips moved ever so slightly forward.

_ Oh crap I gotta stop..  _

Hinata once again tried to remove himself from the entangled mess that they always seemed to wake up as.. and finally succeeded. 

Doing his best to walk normally, Hinata made a beeline for the bathroom, determined not to look back at Kageyama (for fear he wouldn’t be able to leave). 

The door clicked shut resolutely behind him, and he clutched himself through his boxers, running his other hand along his cheek where Kageyama had touched him the night before. Dragging his hand down his body he paused to rub gently against his nipple, and as it pebbled through Kageyama’s shirt, he felt his legs start to tremble. Sinking to the floor, Hinata began to tease the small nubs through the fabric of the shirt with both hands, biting his lip to try and keep the sounds that threatened to spill out from doing just that. 

Gently, he trailed his hands down the soft shirt, pausing at the bottom to decide if he should get right to it, or take his time. 

_ It’s really early.. Kageyama won’t be up for a while.. I think. _

He teased the skin of his thighs where the shirt fell, breath picking up as he stroked against the sensitive skin before dragging his hands up underneath the shirt to return once again to his sore nipples and imagined it was Kageyama’s hands instead of his own. 

His legs spread at the thought, and he slid one hand down his abs to peak below the waistband of his boxers, fingertips brushing his aching cock. He choked back a moan as he wrapped his fingers around himself and lifted his hips just enough to pull his boxers down. 

His gut tightened at the feeling of his fingers stroking himself, pace alternating between fast and slow and pretty soon he could hear his heartbeat thrumming in his ears as he gasped for breath. 

The feeling of Kageyama's solid weight behind him was still fresh in his mind, and he wanted so badly to have felt that inside of him. His hole clenched at the thought, and all of a sudden he needed more. He felt so empty. 

Hinata hesitantly slowed the pace of his hand on himself as he stood on wobbly legs and walked over to the sink where he released a hum of satisfaction. As he thought, there was a small complimentary bottle of lube that he remembered seeing the day before when he checked in. 

Without thinking too hard about what sort of hotel would have something like that, Hinata snapped open the lid and sunk to his knees on the cool bathroom floor, wishing so desperately that he was back in the warm bed and that the slick fingers pressing up against his entrance weren’t his own as he reached around behind him. 

Kageyama had  _ very _ nice hands. 

That was a fact Hinata had been aware of for years _ ,  _ but the thought crept up in his mind whenever he was doing this to himself (which was more often than he’d like to admit). 

He imagined the way it would feel to have those talented fingers opening him up, getting him ready for more. 

A small moan escaped his lips at the thought, and Hinata pulled Kageyama’s shirt up into his mouth to keep himself quiet, eyes fluttering closed as the subtle taste that was distinctly Kageyama touched his tongue. He felt so exposed on his hands and knees with his ass in the air, but this was his favorite way to do it.

It wasn’t long before he had two fingers inside of himself, gently stroking his dick at the same time, and by the time he had three he was a shaky, moaning mess. 

He rocked back against his fingers as his chest pressed against the floor, and his pace quickened as he felt the familiar building feeling inside of him stretch taut. 

Hinata spilled messily over his hands and onto the smooth tiled floor. He groaned loudly and was very thankful for Kageyama’s shirt to muffle the noise (but felt a little bad about what he had just done to it). 

Guiltily, he cleaned himself up as best as he could and wiped his mess off of the floor. Sitting back against the door, he allowed himself a few minutes to calm down and allow the flush to at least  _ mostly _ disappear from his cheeks. 

Less than 2 minutes passed before Hinata knew he couldn’t stand it any longer.. Kageyama was out there and he was in there and he  _ had _ to be with him. Especially after what he had just done. This lonely feeling afterwards was the worst part of doing it alone after all. 

After he washed his hands, Hinata quietly opened the door to the other room. The bright morning sunlight shining through the windows caused him to blink, and he realized that he had forgotten to turn the bathroom light on, and his eyes had grown accustomed to the dark.

As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he realized Kageyama was sitting up in bed and rubbing his eye sleepily. 

The sight of the 6’ 2”, impossibly ripped man, pouting with eyelids half closed and messy hair sent butterflies straight through Hinata’s chest where they settled heavily in his stomach.

Catching sight of Hinata as he squinted at the light, Kageyama pouted even deeper and mumbled with that wonderfully deep morning voice “I thought you left.”

Fondness crept up inside of Hinata as gentle as a freakin’ tidal wave, and before he knew it, he had crossed the room and had come to stand in between Kageyama’s legs where he quietly asked, “where would I go?”

Blinking sleepily up at him, Kageyama shrugged his shoulders before wrapping his arms around Hinata’s waist, burying his face against his stomach “I don’t know.. just thought you did.”

Hinata had forgotten how early morning Kageyama was the touchiest Kageyama he’d ever get, and he maybe also forgot how to breathe. 

He ran his fingers through Kageyama hair, frustrated at the way the silky locks were already smoothing out to perfection, but also enjoying how soft they felt underneath the pads of his fingertips. “I’m here. I wouldn’t leave.”

Kageyama nodded in response, and Hinata was very glad that he had just finished taking the edge off because the feeling of the other boy’s head moving against his stomach was almost too much. His whole body was so sensitive.

Kageyama turned his head to press his nose against Hinata’s stomach, and he could feel the corners of Kageyama’s mouth pull upwards against him as he mumbled “my shirt smells like you now.” 

His legs almost gave out. 

Kageyama had been so distant the night before, but it didn’t come as a surprise that he’d be overly affectionate in the morning because that was true for every morning they’d ever spent together.

Hinata used his dark hair to pull his head away from his stomach and smiled at the way Kageyama frowned, before settling onto his lap where he wrapped his legs around him. Kageyama quickly adjusted, and moved his arms around Hinata’s waist as he laid his head on Hinata’s shoulder. 

Continuing to mess with his hair, Hinata stayed silent and listened to his even breathing as he focused on the way Kageyama’s shoulders rose and fell with each breath. 

The sound of a small chuckle from behind Hinata had them both jumping in surprise, and Kageyama instantly looked more awake as he pushed Hinata away on reflex.

“Ohhhh just wait till the rest of the team hears about this!” Atusmu burst out into a full laughter as Hinata quickly squirmed off of Kageyama’s lap.

As much as he had wanted to stay in that position.. it was awkward having someone else there. Not quite to the “mom walking in” level, but it was getting close. And there was no doubt in his mind that Atsumu would be telling everyone about it later on. The rest of the team knew about his  _ massive _ crush on Kageyama and would be ecstatic to hear every detail, and Hinata knew he was in for the teasing of a lifetime.

Kageyama’s phone started buzzing from where he had placed it on the table, and he hurriedly picked it up and answered, giving a few noncommittal agreements before hanging it up and looking disappointed at Hinata. 

Atsumu took that as his cue to leave, and with one final smirk behind him, left the room and closed the bathroom door. 

“That wasn’t as bad as I expected.” Kageyama mumbled, avoiding Hinata’s eyes. 

“Yeah, he’s pretty chill about stuff like that.. I’ve shared a hotel room with him a couple times and he’s taken people back before. It’s no biggie!” 

Hinata wasn’t completely honest 

This was a biggie.

It was his own first time taking someone back, and his insides were squirming around like they wanted to be outsides. Something about being in a hotel room together felt even more intimate than being in Kageyama’s apartment, and definitely more intimate than in their childhood bedrooms. The night before, the alcohol he had drunk helped dull the thought, but now the silence weighed heavy between them. 

“That was my coach on the phone..” Kageyama said to break the silence “I should head back, our bus leaves in an hour.” 

“Okay! Well we’re not  _ too _ far apart now.. maybe we could get together again soon?” Hinata asked hopefully 

Kageyama nodded, finally meeting Hinata’s eyes and giving him a small smile. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too”

His smile grew a little wider, and it snatched the breath right out of Hinata’s lungs.

Saying goodbye wasn’t easy when the two of them finally got to see each other again, but knowing they were at least in the same country again made a difference. 

They’d see each other again soon.   


.｡~☆~｡.

Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) “soon” didn’t end up actually being soon.

The cool November days had led into even cooler December days, but considering how far south he now lived, Hinata knew he wouldn’t be seeing any snow. Kageyama had him beat with being even further south, and it was a full four hours by train to reach Oita city. 

But Hinata had thought of a way to make hanging out work, and like many things in his life.. He was going to make it happen.

“Since it’s Christmas and all that, my coach said I could have those days off I mentioned! What about you?” Hinata asked Kageyama while hanging upside down on his coach, his hand holding his phone up to his ear to hear Kageyama’s response. 

“Yeah same here.”

“Woo hooo!!!!” Hinata flipped over onto the floor, smiling widely at the news.

He had wanted to do something special for Kageyama’s birthday gift that year, but didn’t know what the heck to buy him. 

Now that Kageyama was a well known athlete with more sponsorship deals than he knew what to do with, and being all cool and stuff, he didn’t really  _ need _ anything that Hinata could buy him. 

But Hinata had an even better idea… 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

On the train ride to the Oita prefecture a few weeks later, Hinata was trembling in excitement. He  _ almost _ felt more excited than before a game if that was even possible! 

Everything was set and planned for the night. 

Even though he hadn’t told Kageyama what they were doing, he felt confident that the other boy would enjoy it (even if he wouldn’t say so)

There might not have been much he could buy for him, but there was one thing he was able to give him.. 

himself.

(in a completely non-sexual way of course, yup.. definitely completely innocent. no dirty thoughts here. no sir)

Hinata could tell that quality time was something Kageyama valued highly (even if he didn’t say it) which wasn’t entirely surprising considering how negligent his mom had been. Even Hinata taking the time after practice in highschool to walk home with him seemed special somehow, and their races to the gym in the morning made Kageyama’s dark blue eyes glow in happiness that was so carefully hidden. 

~

That same happiness shone on his whole face the moment he saw Hinata.

It was quickly wiped away to a more passive expression of course, but there was no pretending it hadn’t been there in the first place. 

“I beat you here.” He gloated.

“You only live an hour away!!! I had a whole three hour long train ride and my legs hurt from sitting too long!!!” Hinata complained as he wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s waist. 

“Maybe you should’ve stood then.. oh wait, I forgot.. you can’t reach the handrails.”

Hinata gasped in outrage and pulled back to say, “You know.. back when I was your age-“ he paused for a brief second, loving the way Kageyama’s face scrunched instantly into a deep frown “I was much more respectful!” 

“Well you know when I was your height-“ 

Hinata punched him in the stomach, smiling as Kageyama cut off with a yell. From where he was doubled over, Kageyama managed to gasp “I was still in middle-school.”

He smirked at Hinata from where he was holding his stomach before wincing as he straightened up to his full height, and Hinata ignored the way his stomach flipped at the sight of how the other boy towered over him. “Shut up.” He mumbled, looking away. “This is my only day to gloat, because tomorrow we’ll be the same age.”

“Damn right we will. So what’re we doing? You wouldn’t tell me, and it’s already getting dark you idiot.” 

“That’s allllll part of the plan” Hinata winked at him.

“Cryptic as fuck.” Kageyama huffed before shoving his hands in his pockets.

Hinata laughed and linked his arm with Kageyama’s and led him away from the train kiosks towards the exit. He’d never been to this town before, but hopefully google maps wouldn’t fail him. 

~

Thankfully, it turned out that he could rely on his phone after all (he only made one wrong turn), and it wasn’t long before the two of them joined a bustling crowd all heading in the same direction. 

Hinata could see the glow of light before they turned the corner to see the multiple food stands, colorful lanterns, and the riot of color that covered everything he saw. 

Not wanting to miss Kageyama’s expression, he quickly looked up and saw that he was already being watched. His heart jumped as they met eyes. 

“You planned this?” Kageyama began and Hinata beamed before he finished the sentence,“-with that little pea brain of yours?”

Hinata  _ almost _ burst out laughing, but figured he should at least pretend to act a little hurt “meanie-yama! What do you think?? Not too bad for a little pea brain, huh? And this isn’t even all I have planned.” He smirked before pulling him into the happy crowd. 

Hinata LOVED festivals. They always seemed like a place for unrestrained joy, and the flickering lights made dancing shadows beneath the feet of the happy people with smiles on their faces and delicious food in hand. 

The air around him tasted absolutely heavenly and he inhaled deeply, searching the vendors for his favorite street food. “Wanna start with that one?” Hinata pointed at a nearby taiyaki stand, grinning widely at Kageyama’s open mouthed nod, eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed pink.

_ Uwahhhh he looks so happy. _

Hinata felt the same bubble of happiness inside himself as he gripped the other boys hand and dragged him through the dancing crowd. 

~

By the time it was fully dark, Hinata’s stomach was full, and his heart was even fuller. 

The two of them walked slowly together, listening to the chorus of Christmas music and admiring the beautiful lights around them that lit up the normally dark winter street. They were on the outskirts of town, and the loud streets filled with cars and people were far behind them. 

Hinata knew it wouldn’t be much longer before the fireworks started, and once again excitedly led Kageyama to the second stage of his plan. 

“Now what?” Kageyama asked, and Hinata could hear the smile in the words as he pulled him away from the crowd of people lingering by the warmth of the food vendors. 

Hinata didn’t answer, but continued to pull him down street after winding street. The buildings thinned even further and pretty soon they were exactly where Hinata had planned. 

As they hurried up the walkway, Hinata watched understanding flit across Kageyama’s face before he looked at him in surprise. 

“Ta da!” Hinata yelled happily as he pushed open the doors of the small onsen building that google had so helpfully recommended. Kageyama stood close as Hinata paid for the two of them at the counter. 

They had shared a bath more times than he could count throughout highschool, and an onsen wasn’t a new concept.. but as the two undressed next to each other, Hinata was careful to look the other way and felt his cheeks warm. 

He occupied himself by studying the room and noticed that they weren’t the only ones changing. Hinata figured other people must have had the same idea he did to watch the fireworks from the relaxing shallow pools (it was a pretty great idea after all). The two of them washed themselves quickly at the small shower stations before they silently made their way to the outdoor area.

“Google knew what it was talking about!!” Hinata exclaimed as he pushed open the door and saw the beautiful natural pool surrounded with rocks and small plants. Goosebumps formed along his skin from the cool air, and he couldn’t wait to get into that steaming water.

“Ah your lover.. google.” Kageyama deadpanned from behind him, and Hinata forced himself not to look back as he responded “it never fails me.” 

The warm tendrils of steam coming off of the water caressed Hinata’s bare skin as he found an empty area and stepped into the hot water. He hissed as he sunk down to his knees, the bitingly hot water making his skin an angry shade of red. The first step in was always the hardest, but he knew his body would adjust. 

Kageyama released a sigh of relief at the same time Hinata did as they sunk in up to their shoulders, muscles already relaxing in the heat. 

“Look” Hinata breathed out, pointing up at the brilliant night sky above them, the stars twinkling in their own special way.

Kageyama huffed out a small laugh, his breath puffing out a cloud of steam in the cold air, “there’s Bob” he pointed at the one bright little star that Hinata had shown him all those years ago in high-school. 

“Bwahaha! You remembered it!” Hinata smiled at him “I guess I’m a pretty good teacher!” 

“It’s hard to forget, dumbass.” Kageyama tipped his head back to see more of the night sky, and Hinata was mesmerized by the way the small water droplets from his wet hair traveled down the length of his throat. The soft lights around them illuminated his skin and caused the water to sparkle where it pooled in his collar bones. 

_ wah _ . 

A resounding BOOM had Hinata’s gaze jerking abruptly away from Kageyama, and he saw the fiery sparks bursting against the dark sky, blazing a trail of color as they fell towards the earth.

“UWAH DID YOU SEE THAT??” Hinata gasped, jostling the water as he moved up onto his knees. 

“How could I not!?” Kageyama asked loudly,and a few of the other men in the pool frowned at the two of them at the noise they were causing. The sound of their yelling was quickly matched, however, as more fireworks lit up the area. 

Hinata noticed the way the calm pool reflected the vivid colors that lit up the sky above. 

His own “Ooo’s” and “Ahhh’s” mingled with others, and he paid especially close attention to the way Kageyama’s breath would hitch at a particularly bright and colorful firework.

Unable to stop himself, he turned to watch the way Kageyama’s eyes lit up with each burst of brilliant flame against the canvas of stars. 

As if he could feel his gaze on him, Kageyama met his eyes, and Hinata sucked in a breath at the sight. The way the fireworks reflected in the dark blue of his eyes turned them into small galaxies brighter than the one overhead, and Hinata wasn’t sure if he was even breathing. His gaze lowered to the soft lips in front of him, wet from the onsen and a deep pink from the warmth. 

They were so close. 

Isn’t this when couples would always kiss in anime? Under the fireworks during a festival? 

That had definitely been in Hinata’s mind when he planned the night.. but real life is different from anime perhaps, because Hinata ripped his gaze away and hugged his knees to his chest.

Maybe anime people didn’t have a million thoughts rushing through their minds, and they could lose themselves to the moment. 

_ He’s naked. I’m naked. We’re both! naked! If we started kissing would I even be able to hold back?? God, he looks so good I want a lot more than kissing… but there’s people here and what if they recognize us? And making out in public is definitely frowned upon. but his collarbones look real nice I wonder what they’d taste- no stop that. He’s leaving for Italy next year, what if he’s feeling how I felt and doesn’t want a relationship? But what if it’s just kissing.. no, I couldn’t do that. Ooo that was a pretty firework. He’s so close what if he wants to kiss? Wait no- other people are here. Heck, I should’ve planned this out better, oh his mouth is so pretty-  _

He realized said mouth was forming words, and Hinata continued to stare blankly, not hearing a thing. 

At Kageyama’s smirk that clearly meant “you’re so stupid” Hinata snapped back to reality.

“Huh?”

_ Good job, brain _

“I asked if the heat has fried your brain. You were just staring with your mouth hanging open.”

“I was thinking about those yummy crepes we had earlier!!! I want moreee” Hinata whined, proud of himself for coming up with the excuse so fast. 

Kageyama rolled his eyes and rested his elbows on the edge behind him as he looked back up to the sky. The movement called attention to his (very impressive) arms and Hinata forced himself to look back at the (not nearly as impressive) streaks of light above him before his brain short circuited again.

A comfortable silence fell between them, and Hinata found that as much as he wanted to be in Kageyama’s lap.. it was nice just being by each other. 

He’d missed being with him so much, and there was a special sort of feeling to be able to watch something so beautiful by his side. 

~

It was late by the time they found themselves back in the changing room, donning the complimentary robes in silence as they both pretended not to be stealing glances at the other. 

Hinata had rented one of the rooms in advance, knowing what a late night it was going to be, and the hallway floorboards creaked underneath their feet, the only sound in the dim light as they made their way there.

Once at their room, the sliding door revealed a small traditional tatami mat room, and Hinata inhaled the comforting tatami scent as the two of them laid out their futon (only arguing a little which way to put it) 

There were multiple futons available, and the room could have fit at least three, but the two unspokenly set up one before separating to brush their teeth and get ready for the night. 

Hinata returned to the soft blankets first, and pulled out his phone while he waited for Kageyama. Ignoring his notifications, he realized with a start that it was 12:37am which meant it was December 22nd.. Kageyama’s birthday!! He threw the sheet back as the other boy walked into the room and yelled a little too loud “happy birthday!!”

Kageyama stopped in surprise before he continued to crawl into the futon beside him and mumbled “it’s not my birthday yet.”

Hinata showed him his phone “yes it is”

“That doesn’t count. It isn’t the next day until you sleep.” Kageyama nodded, agreeing with himself.

“What if you don’t sleep all night? Does the next day not come?” 

Kageyama smothered him with a pillow and Hinata’s shrieks of laughter were muffled by the soft fabric. 

Pulling the pillow away, Kageyama smirked at him from where he was kneeling at his side. Hinata’s chest rose and fell with deep breaths and he smiled up at Kageyama. 

The pink on both of their cheeks could have been from the heat still clinging to their skin from the onsen.. but Hinata knew better. 

Shyly, he opened his arms to Kageyama. 

He almost expected a flick to the forehead, or maybe a rough “dumbass,” but to his surprise, Kageyama moved to settle between his legs before resting his head gently on his chest. 

“Thank you..” he mumbled “for today” And because he was Kageyama after all he added “It wasn’t too bad.” 

Hinata laughed lightly, feeling the way Kageyama’s head jostled slightly with the movement of his chest and ran his fingers through Kageyama’s hair as he teased, “just not too bad?”

“Mhm. Maybe a little better.”

And because Hinata always enjoyed pushing, asked, “how much better?”

“The best.”

Hinata ran his fingers down to the nape of Kageyama’s neck, twirling the small strands of hair and smiling to himself at the rare response. 

During their reunion a few months back, he thought he noticed how different Kageyama seemed. Now that he had been able to spend more time with him and talk about all the things they hadn’t gotten the chance to talk about earlier, he realized how true that was. 

Kageyama seemed more at ease, and sure he still teased Hinata and frowned most of the time… but it was different. He’d grown so much (in more ways than one), and Hinata was extremely proud of him.

He was well aware that he was the cause of breaking Kageyama out of his shell in highschool, but Hinata was so happy he was able to continue to expand that growth all on his own. 

Part of Hinata had secretly been terrified that he’d return home and Kageyama would have gone back to not being open around him and not comfortable with touch anymore.. 

But he didn’t need to worry, apparently. 

If anything, Kageyama somehow seemed even  _ more _ comfortable with it. Although maybe he had missed touch enough that he was trying to make up for the years spent apart (which Hinata could relate to). He had missed this so much that he felt like even if they stayed like this for the rest of their lives, it still wouldn’t be enough. 

His fingertips traced patterns on Kageyama’s broad shoulders, and he felt them relax with each slow stroke. 

His hands wanted to explore more.. 

would he be allowed to? 

But frustratingly, his whole body felt boneless from the warm water, and his eyes began to close on their own accord no matter how hard he tried to keep them open. 

“Good.” He quietly spoke into the dark room “You deserve it. Happy birthday, dummy.”

“‘s not my birth’ay yet.” Kageyama muttered sleepily against him.

Heat poured off of both of their bodies, and the comforting smell of tatami mixed with Kageyama’s own subtle scent soon lulled Hinata’s mind into a state of brainlessness ( _ yes Kageyama, even more than normal) _ .

As he was falling asleep, he thought he felt the trace of a gentle fingertip trailing along the bare skin of his arm, but he was soon too far gone to tell as darkness pulled him under. 

_ ~ _

_ ~ _

_ ~ _

_ ~ _

_ ~ _

~

~

|BONUS|   
  


Kageyama had never cared for fireworks. 

They were too loud, and he had only ever watched them once or twice in his lifetime. But as he gazed at the brilliant colors burning in the night sky, and as he felt the thrill of the sudden boom.. Kageyama realized they were almost exactly like the smaller boy at his side: often times loud and all the time beautiful. 

Noisy, colorful, happy, fiery, intense, bright, too much (but also not enough). 

All those words could describe Hinata.

Kageyama noticed the way the flames made his orange hair glow impossibly bright and the way they turned his eyes into pools of warmth that sparkled and widened with each new explosion that lit up the sky.

He couldn’t look away.

Hinata belonged with the vivacious, living color of fireworks, and Kageyama felt his eyes start to sting with tears the longer he looked at the brilliant boy right in front of him.

He longed to reach out and touch him, but Hinata seemed nearly as untouchable as the sparks igniting the stars above.

Kageyama forced himself to look away at the somewhat underwhelming (in comparison) display of color and light and swallowed his disappointment. 

How muted the colors seemed compared to the smile that lit up Hinata’s whole being, bringing life to everything and everyone in range.

Kageyama couldn’t ever get enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to write them being a lot more distant and things feeling different when Hinata got back from Brazil, but then I scrolled through (my fav Kagehina artist) @wattemeers super soft art on Instagram for a few hours and uhhhhhh.. oops. What can I say, it was Kageyama’s birthday and he needed to be spoiled :) 
> 
> ~
> 
> Because of that,,, while I was changing the garbages at work I had the realization that there’s NO WAY my original plan to have them be not together for awhile yet
> 
> And so!! I’m shortening this particular fic back to 45 chapters and condensing the time frame covered.
> 
> But GOOD NEWS! 
> 
> I’ll be making it into a series !!! Woo hooo!!! So even though it’s shorter, I’ll still hopefully be updating something every Sunday because I’ll miss you guys too much and still have so many ideas! (Yes I’ll write a whole separate Kagehina quarantine fic, and since they’ll be together you know what that means hehehe ;) )
> 
> I feel good about this decision because I really don’t think they can last another 14 chapters (three years in the fic) without them giving the other everything they have♡ (my nice, poetic way of saying: “screwing each other’s brains out”)
> 
> ||| IG: @sundance10_art |||  
> ||| Twitter: @letsgocrazy2020 |||


	37. Operation: Make Life Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And they were ..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s Sunday somewhere.. bone apple teeth

The 2018/2019 volleyball season passed by in a blink of an eye, and the few and far between games played against Hinata’s team were at the top of the list in terms of Kageyama’s favorite games (and life memories). 

It didn’t come as a surprise when Hinata was scouted by Japan’s National team that spring. Heck, even if he didn’t know Hinata he would’ve seen it coming a mile away. The boy played volleyball better than anyone else (besides Kageyama of course.. and yes, he was a little biased on that one).

The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, and Kageyama gazed up at them as he walked along the petal strewn pathway, carrying a couple heavy bags of groceries towards his new apartment. 

At the end of the season, he had cut ties with the Schweiden Adlers, and moved further north to be closer to Tokyo where the National team met for practice. He had already begun his preparation to leave for Italy in the fall, and it made the most sense to end things with the Adlers when he did. It had been hard to say goodbye to the team that had become so special to him, but having a couple of his teammates play on Japan’s team with him helped the transition. 

Kageyama had just rounded the corner and turned to head into his apartment building, eyes still trained on the delicate petals whose brightness seemed to glow against the deep blue sky when all of a sudden- a force like a small truck barreled into him. 

“Oi!-“ he yelled as the moment upset his groceries and various veggies spilled across the pavement “my turnips!!” He screamed.

“Maybe if you weren’t staring off into space like an idiot you would have seen me coming!!!” A familiar voice screamed back. 

Hinata dropped to his knees and began collecting the spilled groceries, and Kageyama bent down to help, making a show of inspecting each one.

“If these veggies are squashed, then we’ll have to eat leftover yakisoba  _ again.”  _ Kageyama complained. 

“Yeah yeah yeah.” Hinata sighed as he shoved the last of the cabbage into the bag “They look okay, so I’m excited to eat whatever you make!! I’ll be back by then.”

Ah yes.. did Kageyama forget to mention the small fact about where he was living? Or more accurately..  _ who  _ he was living with?

Hinata fucking Shouyou, aka the love of his life, was now his roommate. 

Kageyama glared as Hinata helped him place the last of the sad looking food back into the bag, still upset that Hinata had definitely  _ not _ been looking where he was walking. (No it wasn’t Kageyama’s fault, short people should be more aware of their surroundings or else they get trampled. It’s the rule) Unaware of being mentally insulted, the runt exuberantly waved goodbye before unlocking his bike from the small parking area and quickly peddling away, leaving Kageyama with a slightly smooshed bag of groceries and quickly beating heart. (No, he wasn’t staring at Hinata’s ass) 

He had moved into Hinata’s apartment only a week beforehand and was beginning to question every decision he had ever made that got him to that point. 

When the V-League season ended, it had made perfect sense to move in together. For one, rent was cheaper (nevermind the fact that they both had money to spare) secondly, it was closer to Tokyo (still a couple hour train ride), but lastly, for the first time in a very long while.. Kageyama wouldn’t live alone. 

The first few days had been dedicated to getting unpacked and situated, but the warm apartment filled with Hinata’s laughter was already starting to have some semblance of home. Kageyama pushed open their door and frowned at the hoodie the other boy had thrown on the floor before picking it up and throwing it in the clothes hamper where it belonged. 

The other boy was messy as fuck and could only cook ramen.

~

Although it had been a beautifully warm spring day, as the sun sank below the horizon in a brilliant display of reds and oranges the temperature dropped once again.

Kageyama didn’t mind, he had already changed into his comfy grey sweatpants and after Hinata returned home, the two of them stuck their legs under the warm kotatsu table as they ate their meal, only fighting for space a little.

“What League are you in now?” Hinata asked and Kageyama instantly knew what he meant.

“Sapphire“

“Uwaaahhh !!! The Duolingo bird is going to hunt you down!! You were still there two days ago. I got into the Emerald League today, so it looks like you’re doing dishes tonight.” Hinata waved his pair of chopsticks around in Kageyama’s face and squealed in happiness as Kageyama pushed him roughly to the ground.

“If I get into the Ruby league tonight, you have to do the dishes for the entire day tomorrow.” Kageyama challenged as he glared at Hinata’s smiling face.

“You’re on!!! I bet you won’t make it because I can tell you’re tired, and you’re gonna pass out if you even try to study.” Hinata smirked coyly up at him, and it was at that moment- Kageyama noticed that he was still holding the other boy’s wrists to the floor and his face was hovering just above his shiny, pink lips. 

Pulling away, he mumbled something about Hinata being wrong, but he didn’t hear himself over the blood roaring in his ears

There was one big problem about living with the person you’re in love with.. 

You get horny  _ all the damn time. _

Kageyama scooted his hips a little further underneath the kotatsu table, not wanting his growing arousal to be noticeable and shoveled food into his mouth. 

Hinata sat up and smiled at him innocently before returning to finish his own food, jumping up and carrying his bowl over to the sink.

Kageyama tried very hard not to stare at his ass as he walked away. 

(He definitely stared)

~

Hinata might have been right (just this once) about Kageyama being too tired to study. 

Words blended together as he tried to read the unfamiliar symbols on his screen, and his eyes blurred in and out of focus no matter how much he blinked and rubbed them. 

Kageyama wasn’t going to make it into the next League, but somehow the fact that Hinata had fallen asleep first seemed to count for some sort of win. The idiot had crashed face first into his English dictionary, arms splayed out at his side, ass in the air, and Kageyama smiled. Not because he looked cute or anything.. but because he looked stupid with his knees curled up underneath him and cheek pressed agianst the book, causing his parted lips to puff out as gentle breaths escaped them..

Okay yeah, he was fucking cute. 

The past week they had settled into a pretty solid routine of spending evenings together and studying like they had in highschool before exhaustion inevitably overtook them. 

Kageyama couldn’t help it! Language learning was always taxing on his brain, and Italian seemed even harder than English had. It helped keep him motivated to know that he’d be putting it to use soon enough, whereas English had been some vague concept that he only may or may not use often. 

Hinata had mainly been working on his English, feeling pretty confident in his Portuguese having lived in Rio for two years, and Kageyama smiled as he realized it wouldn’t be too much longer until he was able to return. It had been a quick decision on Hinata’s part to go back, and the decision had happened only a couple months prior. 

Kageyama’s eyes drifted closed as he recalled the night it had happened.

Hinata’s team had beaten Tsukishima’s, and Kageyama had visited to watch the game. (There was something so satisfying about watching Hinata kick people’s ass.. especially Tsukki’s) 

It was the first time he had been to Hinata’s place, the apartment that was now his home, and the two of them had stayed up all night talking. 

They had gotten onto the subject about Kageyama moving to Italy, and he had asked Hinata what it was like living in a foreign country. 

Hinata told him  _ everything _ . Including how hard the first few months had been, but also how much things had changed and how comfortable he had felt by the second year. He painted a vivid picture in Kageyama’s mind of the loud tourists, colorful buildings, beautiful sunsets on the beach, and most of all.. the friends he had made while there. 

His obvious love of the place poured out through his words, and Kageyama almost felt like he was there as he listened. 

Hinata talked until his voice started to sound raspy, and as he fondly remembered the people and places, tears had streamed down his face. 

“I just miss it so bad” he whispered. 

“Then go back.” Kageyama said, equally as quiet as he wiped one of the offending tears away.

Hinata tilted his head in a silent question. 

“You know..” Kageyama began “You can still be on Japan’s National team and play for clubs in foreign leagues..” he left his sentence unfinished, but Hinata read between the lines and his eyes lit up in interest “Like what you’re doing?” He had asked. 

“Yeah. Players swap out for foreign leagues all the time. It isn’t too late if you want to do it.”

Hinata nodded excitedly, his tears drying on his cheeks, eyes alight with excitement. “I’d had that thought in the back of my mind, but it helps to have someone else say it! I can really do that, can’t I?”

“Of course, dumbass. You’d have to apply soon though.”

“Right now!” Hinata jumped off of the couch to grab his phone and instantly began researching what he’d need to do. 

Kageyama watched him and tried to keep the smile off of his face that threatened to show just how happy the other boy made him. Seeing his excitement was contagious, and Hinata’s shoulders relaxed in a way that had Kageyama wondering how long he had been wanting to return to the country that had obviously stolen his heart. Hinata looked up at him, the blue light of his phone reflecting in the eyes that softened as they studied Kageyama’s face (the one he was trying so hard to hide all his gross, overly happy feelings from).

But Kageyama had to admit that he had ulterior motives for suggesting Hinata move back to Brazil..

Tan Hinata was hot as hell.

“And we can still play together on Japan’s team.” Hinata beamed, unaware of the direction Kageyama’s mind had taken. 

“Yeah.” Kageyama agreed.

“Move in with me.”

_ Huh _ …

Did Kageyama hit his head or something? 

“It’ll just be easier that way!” Hinata hurried “because if we’re training together anyways and both out of the country for a lot of the year, it’ll be easiest to rent one place to come back to. No use both paying for rent…” his voice trailed off and he fidgeted nervously. 

“Sometimes you use your brain, and it amazes me.” Kageyama’s brain wasn't working too well itself, but he managed to at least respond so he mentally patted himself on the back for that.

They spent the weeks following that night planning the upcoming year, and it was only a short time after that that found Kageyama packing up and leaving his small, quiet apartment. 

He didn’t miss it at all. 

As Kageyama listened to Hinata’s easy breathing against the pages of the book he had been studying, he found himself slowly drifting off as well. 

A sharp inhale from Hinata abruptly waking up had his eyes flying open, and he saw a sight that  _ almost  _ made him laugh. Hinata had sat up with his arms dangling in front of him, still mostly asleep and sporting messy hair, drooping eyelids, and a small flash-card stuck to his face with drool. 

“Dumbass” Kageyama mumbled in a deep, sleepy voice he hardly recognized. 

“Did you make it into the Ruby league?” Hinata asked before even opening his eyes fully.

His question was met with silence and a mischievous smile spread across his face. 

“I don’t think we came up with a punishment for if you didn’t make it….” he trailed off, and Kageyama knew he already had something in mind. 

Kageyama sighed in defeat and made a sound in the back of his throat to indicate a question. 

“Carry me.” Hinata finally blinked his eyes open and held out his arms, still smiling in that conniving way that seeped underneath Kageyama’s skin.

“No way! You weigh a million pounds now, you dumbass” Kageyama’s eyes raked over the muscles that never failed to impress him, remembering how at one point his hand could easily wrap around Hinata’s bicep with his fingers touching. He swallowed deeply as his eyes lingered on those impressively thick thighs. 

“You saying you can’t lift me?” Hinata challenged 

“I’ll fuckin’ do it, just watch.” 

Kageyama sprang to his feet, much more awake now and scooped Hinata over his shoulder, thankful that Hinata wasn’t the only one who had gotten stronger and could do that with relatively no problem. 

“BWAAAaa!!” Hinata shrieked in delight, laughing as he yelled “I didn’t mean like this!!!” 

Kageyama was glad his face was no longer visible from where he had thrown Hinata and held onto his legs tighter, trying so hard not to slide his hands up the thighs he had just been checking out. It took all of his willpower, and he unceremoniously dumped Hinata in front of the bathroom sink, rolling his eyes as the shorty looked up at him with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes. 

“You still have drool on you. You better not have gotten it on my back.” Kageyama muttered. 

Hinata didn’t seem to have heard him as he hummed happily and put a generous glob of toothpaste onto his toothbrush before shoving it into his mouth. 

Kageyama was a little more careful putting his toothpaste on, and secretly loved everything about these quiet moments together. 

Okay he loved everything about it except one thing..

This was something he had noticed years and years ago whenever they got ready for bed together..

Only now he had to witness it nearly every night..

Hinata had no gag reflex. 

In a dumb fascination, he stared as Hinata’s toothbrush passed back and forth between his lips and the way his lips parted so prettily before taking it in further and  _ shit- _ Kageyama was too tired and turned on for this crap.

“Stop doin’ tha’” he grumbled angrily as he furiously scrubbed his teeth.

“Hahh??!” Hinata’s brown eyes watched him in the mirror “wha??’”

“Stop brushin’ all..deep.. like tha’” He managed to say around his toothbrush. 

Hinata’s brow furrowed in confusion and he asked with his mouth full of toothpaste “why?”

“It just fucking annoys me.” 

Hinata, the little bastard, shoved the toothbrush in even further.

“Fuck.”

Kageyama started to choke on his toothpaste before quickly spitting it into the sink and rinsing out his mouth, splashing a little cool water onto his warm face while he was at it and rose to see Hinata’s eyes glinting with mischief (and perhaps a little more). 

Hinata moved to also spit into the sink, and once their gaze had broken, Kageyama’s shoulders slumped and he quickly left the room, closing the door to his bedroom and locking it just to be safe. He already knew that there was no way he could fight the growing swell of arousal building inside of him. 

This was another thing about living with someone you’re very much attracted to. 

You jerk off.. 

..a lot.

Sometimes multiple times in a row like a damn teenager. 

Kageyama tugged his pants down and leaned against the door behind him as his legs threatened to give out when he cupped himself roughly in his palm. 

He closed his eyes and imagined it was his dick sliding between Hinata’s soft lips rather than that toothbrush. Kageyama wondered if Hinata would be able to take all of him in, or if he would finally reach his limit, his eyes watering up before his eyelashes fluttered closed. 

_ That dumbass would just keep going, wouldn’t he? Stubborn bastard. _

He gasped as he wrapped his hand around himself and wondered what it would feel like to be pressed against the back of Hinata’s throat.

He wanted to find out. 

Kageyama stroked his fingers up the underside of his aching hardness and imagined it was Hinata’s tongue instead and how the other boy would lick a messy streak all the way to the tip before circling the tip. Kageyama moaned quietly as he followed the movements with his hand. 

Taking his time, he slowed his strokes as he pictured Hinata abandoning his dick all together before nipping roughly at the inside of his thighs, leaving marks for just the two of them to see the next morning before licking his way up Kageyama’s abs and chest, wet and hot.

His hand picked up the pace as he imagined Hinata leaving marks on his neck for more than just the two of them to see, biting and sucking until Kageyama’s neck was a canvas dedicated solely to the deep purple and red hues that Hinata was creating. 

Kageyama bit his lip at the thought of Hinata being so possessive and wild that he couldn’t help himself. Maybe he’d apologize later, but they’d both know he wouldn’t mean it, and Kageyama wouldn’t mind. 

His mind once again returned to the way Hinata’s face had looked a few minutes prior; eyes open wide and looking up at Kageyama through his eyelashes, a small smirk playing on his lips as that damn toothbrush disappeared further. 

_ Fuck.. he’d be so good _

Kageyama gasped as he stroked himself just right and felt his stomach clench at the feeling. 

_ I bet that dumbass would be so into this.  _

He could almost hear the small moans that would spill from Hinata’s pretty mouth as it wrapped around him, begging him to cum down his throat-

“Kageyama?”

After imagining Hinata’s voice, he wasn’t sure if the sound of his name was real or just in his mind, but it was soon followed up with:

“You there, you idiot?”

Kageyama’s heart jumped, and his stomach flipped. He bit his lip as he breathed out a small gasp that he hoped wasn’t noticeable, but with his back pressed against the door, Hinata’s voice was  _ so near.  _ It did things to Kageyama to hear it while he had his hand on himself (even if he did call him a rude name)

“Yeah” He said a silent prayer of thanks that his voice wasn’t too breathy

“I know it’s late but do you wanna watch that volleyball documentary I mentioned earlier?” 

Kageyama’s toes curled as he listened, closing his eyes tight he managed to say “Tomorrow. ‘m going to sleep.”

“Okay! See you in the morning then!” Hinata yelled brightly, the smile in his voice evident. 

_ Don’t go _

“Hinata-“ Kageyama began, unsure of what he was going to say, but he didn’t want the presence of the other boy to leave. His hand caught slightly on the head of his dick, and his eyes shot open. 

“Yeah?” Hinata asked quickly 

Kageyama’s mouth parted in a silent moan, and he felt his hand cover in warm fluid as he spilled over himself, knees threatening to give out as waves of pleasure flowed through him. 

“‘Yama?” 

Kageyama breathed out, clearing his head as he tried to steady his quickly beating heart.

_ Fuck _ ..  _ this is dangerous _

“Can I come in real quick?”

Kageyama’s slowing heart rate instantly shot up to as fast as it had been pumping before. 

“What?! No!! Bed time!!” Kageyama yelled in panic as he quickly pulled up his pajama shorts and tucked himself back into them, hissing at the fabric rubbing against his over-sensitive dick. 

“Why’s your voice right by the door though?? You aren’t in bed yet!”

Kageyama looked around for something to wipe his hands on. 

“Because you were talking to me!”

_ Ah this will work _ . He wiped his hands on an old shirt before throwing it in the laundry hamper.

“You got out of bed just to talk to me?” Hinata’s voice had a note of teasing to it, which always pissed Kageyama off.

“No”

“Kageyamaaaaaa” He whined. 

“The hall demon is gonna get you.” Kageyama mumbled.

“BWA!!” The sound of Hinata’s quick footfalls sounded as he stumbled down the hall, loud as ever, and Kageyama heard a triumphant, “I’m alive!!” From the direction of the other boy's room.

He smiled as he imagined Hinata with the blankets thrown over his soft orange curls as he pulled his knees in protectively close to his body. 

“For now!” Kageyama yelled back, crawling into bed himself and wishing he had let Hinata in. 

The past week it had been borderline torture being under the same roof as the runt, and not having him next to him as they fell asleep. But with his own bedroom, Kageyama hadn’t figured out a way to have it happen naturally, and he was still trying to figure out how comfortable Hinata was with him now that so much time had passed. 

The other boy had a different, more confident, air about him than he had in highschool.. Kageyama secretly wondered if he had found someone in Brazil, and that’s why he was so eager to return. 

Kageyama had never been the best at reading people outside of volleyball, and he had no idea what Hinata thought, but he had to admit.. Him and Hinata did have something special no matter what was going on, and it almost felt like a game between the two of them. 

Exciting, charged with competitiveness, and Kageyama wasn’t sure what to do with it. 

Rubbing his temples, he muttered to himself about overworking his brain and turned over onto his side, hugging a pillow to his chest the same as the night before and probably the same as the next night before closing his eyes and drifting off into a restless sleep. 

But he had to admit.. even in separate bedrooms, it still beat living by himself one hundred times over. 

Kageyama wasn’t alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... roommates“ 
> 
> ~
> 
> I wanted to put a smiley face at the end of the last sentence but managed to hold myself back.
> 
> ~
> 
> I very much didn’t enjoy giving blowjobs, but maybe if you actually like the person and want to do it they could be reaalll enjoyable.. who knows. These boys will love it though because THEY LOVE EACH OTHER 
> 
> ~
> 
> I also held myself back from having Kageyama scream “My cabbages!!!” When the groceries spilled sksksksks
> 
> ~
> 
> Also also.. my thought process for the jerking off part:   
> “Kageyama’s already done this in the story a few times now,,, how can I make it different? .....
> 
> ..... make Hinata be RIGHT THERE BWAHAHA” 
> 
> ~
> 
> Anyways come talk to me on IG @sundance10_art and check out some art for the fic :)
> 
> I also post a bit on twitter about it: @letsgocrazy2020
> 
> Love you all♡


	38. Operation: Go Home :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wow a lot happens but also doesn’t happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to apologize beforehand that this chapter is so rushed and maybe a little worse than normal. 
> 
> Last week I wrote the whole thing in one sitting over the course of about 5 hours and was feeling like I’d be able to edit it lots and have it be great… AND THEN the next day I tested positive for COVID-19 and my week just went downhill from there. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional/mental toll the virus would have on me, but my heart just wasn’t in it for this chapter and I’m sorry :( 
> 
> Anyways, I’m goin through it but I hope you like it anyways♡

Living with Kageyama was the WORST.

but .. in a good way. 

Like, an “I’m feeling too many uwahh bwahh feelings every day, and sometimes we compete too much like that time we tried to to see who could eat faster, and he ended up choking and almost died, and he just makes me so happy, and I really wanna kiss him, and oh god don’t even start to think about his sleepy morning messed up hair, or his abs when he- ah crap don't think about that don’t think about that.“ kind of feeling. 

It was overwhelming to say the least. 

Compared to hanging out on weekends, it was  _ very _ different to spend all of his free time at home around Kageyama and see him in various stages of undress, watch him do mundane things like vacuuming and laundry… and don’t even get Hinata started on his pre-bedtime at home workout routine.

It hadn’t felt like this  _ at all _ while rooming with Pedro, but he supposed his pre-existing feelings had a little something to do with that. 

okay.. a lot of something.

But putting aside the fact that Hinata’s mind was working a million miles an hour for once, one of the best parts about living with the other boy (besides his sexy morning voice) was figuring out who the new Kageyama really was. 

Some things were the same as back in highschool, such as the rhythmic way he trimmed and filed his nails every night and read through his volleyball notes diligently with that cute furrowed brow.. and how he’d lay on his back and set his volleyball above his head whenever he had something on his mind.

But some things were different.. Like how he apparently got over his intense dislike of natto and now ate it for breakfast every. single. day. Or how he’d somehow gained an intense appreciation for baking shows.

.. And the fact that he was a lot touchier than Hinata ever remembered him being..

That led to the hardest (pun intended) thing to deal with about living with him: the constant attraction and arousal that was building inside of Hinata every day. 

He came  _ real  _ close to doing something embarrassing when Kageyama had come out of the shower one night, water droplets still caught in his hair and trailing down his chest and  _ uhhhhhh... nice _ . Hinata may or may not have been a little distracted, and he  _ maybe _ didn’t pay attention to where he was going because he ran right into him. 

That wasn’t even the worst part-

The impact caused the towel that had been hanging low around his waist to fall on the ground and exposed the frustrating fact to Hinata once again that Kageyama was  _ huge _ and  _ perfect _ and  _ oh my god I think I’m drooling _ he thought to himself before his brain registered to close his mouth. 

If Kageyama hadn’t yelled “you dumbass!! You run into me every damn day!” Hinata would’ve found himself on his knees before that achingly beautiful cock. 

“It’s not  _ every _ day!!” He yelled back, quickly tearing his eyes away as Kageyama re-wrapped the towel around his waist. “Maybe every other day..” he added quieter. 

“Well how about you look where you’re going once in a while, huh?” Kageyama muttered before stomping down the hallway to his room, closing the door behind him and clicking the lock in place. 

Hinata made a beeline to his own room, also clicking the lock in place as he sank to his knees and hastily jerked off.. twice. 

Yeah.. living with Kageyama really was the worst. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


“Hinata, you’re going to burst if you and him don’t get together soon.” Kenma told him as he rolled his eyes and slouched over his coffee. 

“I think you might be right.” Hinata sighed and set his cup down on the small table between them.

Living near Tokyo had its perks, and one of them was definitely being able to spend time with one of his best friends. The quiet pop background music in the small shop cast a happy mood around the room as Kenma studied him closely in that slightly unnerving way that had Hinata feeling like he was being picked apart. 

“Are you not wanting to because you’re both leaving?” He asked.

Hinata tilted his head and pursed his lips as he thought about the question. “I suppose partially. Not for me, but for him.” 

Kenma nodded, and Hinata continued, “I changed a lot when I left, and I think new experiences do that for you. It’s a good thing, and I want him to fully immerse himself in his new home without having to think about anyone other than himself and his own growth.”

Kenma sighed “once in a while you say something that really surprises me with how well thought out it is.”

Hinata leaned back in his chair and laughed, “You sound like Kageyama” 

Kenma shrugged and took another drink as Hinata slurped down the rest of his pink smoothie as loudly as he possibly could. 

With his mouth still full of the sweet drink, Hinata added “and another thing!” He swallowed before continuing “Kageyama won’t admit it, and I don’t think he even realizes it, but he’s stressed. He always does a great job at taking things as they come and getting things done, but I think that moving to a new place with so many unknowns is getting to him..”

“That’s to be expected” 

“Yeah! I can tell he’s having a hard time with small decisions.. like he has a harder time than normal choosing what milk drink to have with his breakfast, and he just stands there in front of the fridge with a cute frown and let’s all the cold air out.”

Kenma snorted “that’s also pretty normal. When you’re focused on one big thing.. anything else is hard to focus on.”

“Right! He has enough on his mind at this point in life without me adding to it.”

Kenma smiled before his face turned thoughtful once again, “How are you feeling about it though? Is it hard to wait?” 

“Hmmmm… definitely in one way.. but it’s also kind of exciting.” He answered honestly while smirking. “I’m not even trying to initiate anything, but sometimes I’ll do something or say something and he just- gets this look…”

Hinata trailed off as he remembered the way the other boy's blue eyes would darken, and he’d stare at him with such focus that made Hinata’s stomach flip in anticipation  _ every time _ . “-And I know exactly what he wants, and I know it’s going to happen, but it’s almost a matter of who’s going to break first.”

“Of course you turned it into some competition” Kenma mumbled, but there was a small trace of fondness in his voice that Hinata would’ve never noticed if he didn’t know the other boy so well.

“I think that next summer..” Hinata began “..when we’re both home, and when he’s not stressed about packing and getting everything in order.. I won’t hold back.”

“What was that one plan Yachi came up with? ‘operation: seduce Kageyama’?” The corner of his lip turned upward “level two?”

“Oh yes!” Hinata winked “only this time, I’m not a kid anymore. I know exactly how to get what I want.” 

His gaze focused into one of his intense ones normally reserved for volleyball, and Kenma shuddered “you sure are driven.” He said in equal parts admiration and fear. 

“My best quality!” Hinata was back to his smiley self in an instant, jumping up and taking their empty cups to the recycling bin. 

The two boys walked out of the store together with Hinata laughing enough for the both of them as they talked about everything and nothing (and everything in between). 

Hinata was so happy to see him again and spend time among the busy Tokyo crowds, basking in the familiarity of it all. Every sight and smell of the city was just as familiar as a warm sandy beach in some far away country.

How could two places feel so strongly like home at the same time? 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


The rest of the summer was one of the best in Hinata’s life (he maybe said that about every summer, but that’s unimportant)

He spent time visiting his friends and family and many long, grueling hours training with Japan’s National team which was SUPER! AWESOME! 

But what made it stand out above the rest was the fact that every night, no matter where he had been that day and who he had been with, Kageyama was the one he was returning to.

The day that they were flying out of the country approached in a blur of packing and panic, and all too soon they were saying their goodbyes. 

They kept them short, but nonetheless held onto each other for a few seconds too long and too tight to be considered a totally platonic hug (But they both knew they weren’t totally platonic when it came to a lot of things). 

It was hard to say goodbye, but Hinata couldn’t wait to hear all about Kageyama’s new adventures, even the stressful ones that were inevitable when it comes to living in a new place. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  
  


Hinata’s first breathfull of the warm, late summer beach air was invigorating to his every cell, and the warm sunshine on his freckled skin was every bit familiar as it was welcome. 

_ I’m back.  _

Thankfully, he wasn’t too far from the city he had lived in previously, and the first thing he did was contact Pedro and Heitor to let them know he had arrived. As jet lagged as he was, all he wanted to do was connect with his friends and then crash in some comfy bed. 

Thankfully, as Kenma said, he was extremely driven and accomplished both of those goals.

~

Hinata had been SO EXCITED to meet his new teammates, and found to his joy that they had been equally excited to meet him. It wasn’t long before all of them were laughing together and going out for food after practice, and a surprisingly strong bond had been created in a short amount of time. 

They played lots, and won lots, and Hinata was absolutely thriving in all ways except for one:

He missed Kageyama.

A lot.

His new small apartment seemed lonelier now that there wasn’t someone else sharing his space, and he even missed the way Kageyama left his various weights scattered around the room for Hinata to stub his toe on (and then complain that  _ he  _ wasn’t actually the messy one but it was Hinata who left things lying around). 

Yeah… he missed that. 

“I’m totally gonna kick your butt when we play together next month.” Hinata smirked at his phone and the tiny, grumpy Kageyama inside of it. 

“You’re gonna  _ try _ to, runt. My team is the best and we’re gonna end you.” 

Neither of them had acknowledged the fact that the two of them had somehow gotten into the habit of video-calling multiple times a week, and Hinata was just going with it. 

Kageyama was normally the one to initiate it anyways, so he was going to let it happen and not worry that Kageyama wasn’t getting his full Italy experience. He could make his own decisions, and Hinata wasn’t complaining. 

Any time spent talking with Kageyama was welcome. 

But as their match slowly approached, the two talked progressively less and less.

Hinata understood.

Training was picking up as the season progressed for him, and he had to guess the same was true for the other boy.

The occasional text messages never failed to cheer Hinata up, and whenever Kageyama had tried a food that day that he enjoyed, he would tell him “I’m making this when we get back to Japan.”

Hinata was so excited for that time to come. 

Sure, Brazil felt like home, and Hinata was happy to be back, but as he spent more time there, and more time away from a certain tall, cranky boy.. he realized that maybe…

just maybe .. 

Somewhere (someone) else was beginning to feel even more like home. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


“Today, I’m going to win.” Hinata told the reporter proudly at the PalaLottomatica stadium during the men’s world championship, and he meant every bold word of his declaration. 

He was humming with excitement more than normal as he took in the bright lights overhead and locked eyes with his greatest rival from across the gymnasium, and he felt a shiver of anticipation run through his body when he realized Kageyama had already been looking. 

On the world stage, the air felt even more electrically charged than it had during their rare matches back in Japan.

Kageyama looked good in his Ali Roma jersey, and even from a distance Hinata could admire the way it stretched across his broad chest. He turned around to say something to one of his teammates, and Hinata’s eyes drifted lower. 

_ Nice  _

“Stop checking out the competition like that.” One of Hinata’s teammates, Davi, laughingly told him. 

“Yeah!!” Another one, Isaac, seconded before adding, “not that I completely blame you..” 

“Yeah he’s hot as heck” Hinata agreed. 

“He’s the one you live with back in Japan, right?” 

Hinata nodded, his eyes never leaving Kageyama’s impressive backside.

“Is he single?” Isaac asked “Maybe I’ll see if he wants to go out for drinks after the game..” 

Hinata tried to fight down the wave of jealousy that washed over him, but it wasn’t easy.. 

Game days always heightened his emotions.

He loved his teammate very much, and the two of them got along well, but he needed to know Hinata already had Kageyama claimed and that he was off limits.

_ You aren’t even dating..  _ his brain unhelpfully reminded him.  _ There would be nothing wrong with Kageyama going out with him if he wanted to.  _

_ You’re right.. _

_ Thank you. _

_ You’re welcome.  _

Hinata shook his head and slapped his cheeks with both hands to focus on the task at head: namely crushing Kageyama into oblivion.

He could worry about everything else later.   
  


~

It turned out Hinata hardly had to worry about staking his claim on the annoying attractive setter named Kageyama, because apparently his victory was affecting him in more ways than just being cocky.. 

In addition to that, he was so  _ touchy _ and  _ bold _ and Hinata’s heart was acting like it was on crack cocaine. (Not that he knew what that would be like) 

But could you blame his poor little heart? Kageyama had agreed to go out for drinks with Hinata’s team after the game, and after only a few rounds had surprisingly pulled Hinata onto his lap, pressing the very same chest Hinata had been checking out against Hinata’s back as he rested his arm’s on the chairs armrests. 

He did it so damn casually, no one could tell Hinata was about to spontaneously combust, right?

Instead of blowing up, his mouth parted in surprise before he gleefully pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his feet on Kageyama’s lap. 

It was rare for them to be so physical in public, and even in the privacy of their own apartment Kageyama hardly ever initiated such closeness, but the spark of challenge in his eyes that had burned throughout their game had risen into an inferno. 

Hinata loved seeing him high on victory. 

Winning always brought out a different side to Kageyama, and Hinata would be lying if he said that the taller boy's confidence didn’t make him want to get on his hands and knees before him.

The easy tilt of his head, relaxed shoulders, legs spread and small smirk on his lips were driving Hinata  _ insane _ .

Kageyama’s kingly aura was especially strong after winning, and he was very much into that.

At the blatant physical attention he was receiving, Hinata tried very hard to be mature and not look too smug in Isaac’s direction.

_ They wouldn’t have worked out anyways,  _ Hinata reassured himself.  _ Kageyama’s English sucks so they wouldn’t be able to understand each other’s wedding vows.  _

Hinata wiggled a little closer and smiled up at the other boy.

“What?” Kageyama asked. 

“Just happy that you’re stupid- BWAH!” Hinata jumped as Kageyama jabbed him in the side, squirming around and trying to keep the hands that were mercilessly digging into his sides from embarrassing him any further. 

Those same hands stilled abruptly, and Kageyama hissed out a “stop moving so much,” with suspiciously pink cheeks. 

If they had been alone, Hinata might have pushed the other boy a little further and moved around just to piss him off. Instead, he reached for Kageyama’s drink and took a sip, wrinkling his nose at the taste.

“So Hinata..” another one of Hinata’s teammates asked in Portuguese, smiling “you never told us that you’re dating your roommate.”

Hinata’s cheeks were probably the same level of pink as Kageyama’s as he mumbled a quick “I’m not….” And he shot a very pointed glance around the table before adding, “yet.”

“What’re you saying?” Kageyama mumbled into his ear, his lips brushing Hinata’s ear in a way that sent shivers down his spine. 

“Uhh.”

He felt the breath of Kageyama’s laugh against his neck and that  _ really  _ wasn’t helping him think. 

“They’re just talking about the game earlier.”

“I kicked your ass.”

“Just this one time.” Hinata sighed.

The disappointment of losing settled heavily in his stomach, but his team had made it impressively far in the championship. As much as he wished he was still able to play on those beautiful courts, he could now cheer Kageyama on without holding back.

_ I need to win next time though. I need to be out on the court longer.  _

“We made it to playing on the world stage.” He heard Kageyama say softly.

“I told you we would, dummy-yamma. But next time, I’m gonna win.” 

Kageyama pressed his lips closer against Hinata’s ear and mumbled, “I’d like to see you try.” In that impossibly sexy low tone that normally only made an appearance during the occasional soft mornings shared between the two of them. 

All the blood that had been in Hinata’s pink cheeks instantly flooded to a very specific area.

The conversation at the table had come to a pause, and Hinata was very thankful they couldn’t understand what Kageyama had just said.

_ Was that flirting ? Did he just… flirt with me ? .. _

Hinata’s question was soon answered as Davi shouted, “Okay you two, enough flirting!” And thankfully he said it in Portuguese because Kageyama  _ might _ know the word for “flirting” in English (Probably not).

“This is my one chance!!” Hinata whined. 

And he made damn sure to make the most of it.

Due to Kageyama needing to prepare for the next match in the circuit the next morning, the two unspokenly agreed that this would be it, no late night adventures and no sharing a hotel room. 

With how keyed up Kageyama seemed to be, maybe that was a good thing.

Hinata kept reminding himself over and over again that,  _ If we hooked up tonight and had to leave each other the next day, that would suck real bad ..  _ but the way Kageyama’s fingers absently traced patterns on Hinata’s bare arm had him almost seeing stars, and he wanted to grind his ass down and maybe just take Kageyama right then and there and ride him on the chair and- oh he needed to do that- 

Hinata pushed his glass away, head fuzzy enough with the vivid thoughts swirling around and around in his seemingly empty head and tried to focus on the conversations his teammates were having. 

The rest of the evening passed in a similar fashion, and at the end, Hinata stood on wobbly legs, helping Kageyama up and hugging him goodbye. 

“I’ll watch your match tomorrow.” Hinata said softly as he wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s much taller neck. 

“You better.” Kageyama’s arms wrapped around his waist surprisingly gentle 

“And then I’ll see you in a month for our break.” 

“Yeah. See you at home”

It was a whispered breath against his neck, causing him to shiver despite the warm air, and Hinata couldn’t look Kageyama in the eyes as he pulled away, scared that all his emotions would be too obvious. 

Hinata walked back to the hotel with his team, smiling at the teasing comments they threw his way, but he hardly heard them. 

_ He said “home”..  _

_ Home.  _

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Next month, as Hinata pushed open the door.. he knew Kageyama was right. 

This was  _ home _ .

The lights were already on, and he only pouted a little to realize the other boy had beaten him back.. but as he smelled the delicious scent of something being cooked on the stove, and felt the air warmed by the heaters that must have been going for hours, Hinata realized he was probably the real winner.

“I’m home!” He called down the hall as he toed off his shoes and took off his coat in the genkan, shaking free the few rare snowflakes that clung to his hair.

“Welcome back.” Kageyama answered, walking around the corner holding a frying pan of some sort of deliciousness. 

“You look like a housewife.” Hinata giggled as he ducked under Kageyama’s arm to wrap his arms around his waist, breathing in his scent as subtly as he could. __

_ A really buff housewife.  _

“Housewives are cool. At least I don’t look like a tangerine.. why would you wear that color when your hair is already that color??” Kageyama asked, nudging him away to return the pan to the heat of the stove. 

“Meanie-yamaaa it looks good on me!!” Hinata whined as he followed him into the kitchen. “Oh wow- this looks delicious.” His mouth was definitely hanging open, and this time not because of Kageyama.

The other boy had prepared a full Japanese meal, complete with multiple side dishes, and Hinata wanted to cry at the sight of it. 

Instead of crying, his stomach made a loud rumbling noise in hunger. 

“Make yourself useful and help me carry it all over to the table, dumbass.” Kageyama mumbled brusquely. 

Hinata knew that because of living on his own growing up, Kageyama had become pretty prolific in terms of cooking, but he had really outdone himself.

It seemed surreal to be sitting down to eat with the other boy after having just been on an airplane, and before  _ that _ having been all the way across the world. 

They were both home only for one short week and would be crazy busy with volleyball stuff, so Hinata decided to enjoy the limited time the two of them had that night and savor every moment. 

The falling snow outside of the window seemed to quiet the normally busy street, and the orange glow of the streetlamp cast shadows into their dim living room.

“Whaaaaaa this is so gooooddd” Hinata moaned as he popped another piece of fish into his mouth, effectively breaking the peaceful silence.

Kageyama didn’t respond. In fact, he didn’t even look at him.. but Hinata could tell by the way his eyes shone and lower lip trembled that he was secretly very proud of himself. 

“When we come home in a few months for the summer“ Hinata began, waving his chopsticks around “I’m gonna beat you here and surprise you with a meal.” 

“I don’t want burnt ramen. And swallow before talking.”

Hinata laughed as he leaned up against Kageyama’s soft sweater and closed his eyes in happiness, soaking it all in as the warm fuzzy feelings built up inside of his chest threatened to spill over.

Hinata ended up doing the dishes that night, and those fuzzy feelings never quite went away despite how many dishes Kageyama had made. 

Maybe because he helped dry them..

If not, those fuzzy feelings would be long gone 

~

Kageyama conveniently forgot to turn the heater on in Hinata’s room.

(and Hinata didn’t mind one bit)

He took one step in and breathed the frigid air before turning around and rushing back to the other boy's warm room. He yelled at Kageyama for it of course, but it just meant he’d  _ have _ to sleep in Kageyama's room. For warmth. Mhhmm. Not too bad. 

After a relaxing shower, Hinata burst loudly into the room again, clad only in a towel. (Yes, partially for revenge of all the times Kageyama only wore a towel after his shower) 

“If I go into my room to get clothes when I’m wet like this I’d probably catch a cold and die“ Hinata said matter-of-factly.

THWAP- One of Kageyama’s hoodies smacked him in the face before he could even directly ask for it. 

“I thought you said colds didn’t come from actually being cold.” Kageyama complained while not looking away from the book he was reading.

_ Since when did Kageyama read ?? _

Hinata’s retort died on his tongue when he realized the hoodie was one of his favorites, and hummed in happiness as he pulled it over his head and felt the soft fabric against his skin. The hoodie was slightly big even on Kageyama, and it dwarfed Hinata in the best way possible, coming down over his hands and resting mid thigh. 

Kageyama was back to reading his book, and the way he didn’t even flinch as Hinata dropped the towel from underneath the hoodie somehow annoyed him. 

Hinata jumped up on the bed and pulled the warm blankets up around him as he tangled his legs with the taller boy. 

He finally looked away from his book, but only to reach around Hinata and flip off the light, placing his book on the table before laying down, sharing the pillow and facing Hinata. 

Once his eyes adjusted to the dark, Hinata noticed that even though Kageyama wasn’t necessarily smiling.. he was happy. The softness of the dim night made the hard edges of his jaw and face smoothen out, and there was no frown to be seen in between his eyebrows.

Hinata was happy too. 

So unbelievably happy that he felt like he was going to burst open. 

“Sorry if you have to clean up pieces of my guts.” He sleepily mumbled, jet-lag annoyingly catching up to him. He’d been mostly awake for nearly 23 hours because he had only dozed lightly on the plane.. 

_ I really need to invest in a good neck pillow.  _

“What”

“Nothin.” 

It amazed Hinata that no matter how much time they had spent apart, cuddling up next to each other still felt easy and familiar. 

But even though it was familiar, it was no less electrifying than it had been that first night all those years ago in Kageyama’s childhood home. 

He felt a warm pressure above his eyes and opened them in surprise to see how startlingly close the two of them were. Kageyama had bumped their foreheads gently together, but Hinata was met with the sight of his blue eyes closed shut, eyelashes brushing against the top of his cheekbones and mouth parted, nearly asleep.

They shared breaths as Hinata closed his eyes, full of peace and happy to be soaking in the nearness of the person who he knew for a fact that he’d always,  _ always _ return to.   
  


The boy who made this tiny apartment “home”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama’s book was upside down.
> 
> ~
> 
> Some people say the Ali Roma vs Asas São Paulo game happens after the Olympics but I’m saying it happens before so hah 
> 
> ~
> 
> Anyways, I definitely projected onto Kageyama early in the chapter when he was a bit stressed about moving. I move part way across the country TOMORROW and let me tell ya… the past couple months have been roughhh, and I’ve been having a hard time focusing, and I know that even if I really liked someone.. if they tried starting something with me while I’m in this mindset it would be hard because I’d be happy but also.. ahhhhh it would be too much(*≧∀≦*)
> 
> (And don’t worry, the CDC says I’m free to go out in the world without being contagious as of today. Yeah.. I was cutting it a bit close oof stressful)
> 
> ||| IG: @sundance10_art |||
> 
> ||| Twitter: @letsgocrazy2020 |||


	39. Operation: Find a New One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is scary but hopefully this chapter is not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again: sorry it’s rushed and not as good as other chapters .... I’m officially moved now and school starts tomorrow and the past week has been crazy busy and ahhhhh 
> 
> (Definitely surprised I even got this chapter done in time oof)

Italy was pretty cool. 

Kageyama didn’t spend much time outside of his apartment or gym, but during his morning runs he could tell that it was similar to Japan in that it had a rich, long history full of art and culture, evident in the old buildings that littered the area. 

The volleyball courts were absolutely  _ phenomenal _ . The Italian Volleyball League was considered one of the most difficult and competitive in the world, and those were both words that Kageyama loved.

Anywhere that had a strong volleyball presence was a place he liked, and anyone passionate about volleyball he understood.Thankfully, everyone on his team was incredibly in love with the sport (he wouldn’t have expected anything different), and he had no problem fitting in. 

Kageyama had been worried about the language barrier being a problem between them, but it turned out that volleyball was a language of its own, and one he knew how to speak very well. 

Hinata had been right about the first few months being the hardest, and Kageyama lost count of the number of times he couldn’t find his way in the winding streets, or made an embarrassing language mistake. He could just  _ barely _ communicate in daily conversations, but it was enough, and it helped that he wasn’t completely alone..

Nishinoya had excitedly picked Kageyama up from the airport and dragged him from shop to shop as he forced him to eat things he had never even heard about before. 

Jetlag combined with not understanding some of Noya’s excited chatter caused Kageyama to remember about half of the things they did at best.. maybe less. That man was crazy. 

Sadly, his senpai lived a considerable distance away so since that first meeting, the two of them had only hung out once. Being rested and better adjusted helped the second tour be a helpful time for Kageyama in terms of language and cultural learning. (He wasn’t sure, but he thought Noya taught him a few phrases that weren’t quite right, and he knew he wouldn’t  _ actually _ be using them on any ladies..) 

Even with the distance, it was nice knowing that a familiar presence from his own country was just a few hours away. 

Noya had always been dependable, and Kageyama knew that he had his back and was looking out for him.. even halfway across the world from where they met.

It was a comforting feeling.

Before he knew it, the first hurdle of a few months had passed behind him, and he was surviving. The following months after that flowed even smoother, but the longer he was away, the more he felt it.. 

Kageyama missed a certain, annoying orange haired boy. 

Even after being in Italy for nearly an entire nine months, he still found himself looking down to search out the idiot's reaction, only to disappointingly turn away at the absence of it.

“I’m telling you it’s true.” He argued over their video-call one night, “I walked right past it. It’s the smallest restaurant in the world and only seats two people… at least, that’s what I think the sign said.”

His heart jumped as Hinata’s face changed from one of disbelief to joy as he threw his head back and laughed “No way!!! We need to go there someday!!!” 

“Yeah” Kageyama couldn’t help but smile along with the other boy. 

In just a few short weeks, he’d be packing up and flying back to their apartment in Japan for the summer. 

He wasn’t sad to leave.. Italy didn’t feel like home, and he knew he’d be back the following fall for his second year on the team Ali Roma. 

Hinata hadn’t been able to visit besides the brief few days during the world championship, and even then hadn’t visited where Kageyama was living, but maybe...

_ Maybe..  _ next year he’d be able to stay with Kageyama for a little while.

He already knew that Hinata would love to join him for his morning run around the city, but he also knew from their history that it would turn into a competition, and the idiot wouldn’t pay attention to anything around him. 

And so, Kageyama spent too much time planning out where he’d take him afterwards and what they’d do. (not that he’d ever tell the other boy)

He couldn’t wait to see the way Hinata would jump up and down in excitement over the littlest cultural differences, and to see his excited, glowing face while standing in awe at the base of those beautiful old buildings. 

And when Kageyama was alone in his apartment at night, he’d imagine Hinata there next to him, spread out over the white sheets and soft, freckled skin glowing in the moonlight. 

.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


**Dumbass** :  _ ‘one more week!!!\\(//∇//)\’ _

**Dumbass** :  _ ‘how would you feel about looking at apartments when we get back?’ _

**Dumbass:** _‘somethin closer to the gym now that I’m not with MSBY anymore! (๑･̑◡･̑๑)_

Kageyama wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he sat in his gyms locker room and read Hinata’s messages, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he realized that they only had one more week to go. 

_ ‘I don’t like tht emoji’ _

**Dumbass:** (๑･̑◡･̑๑)

‘ _ Stop tht. It’s creepy. And yeah fine about the apartment’ _

Something about apartment hunting sounded a  _ little _ bit too domestic for Kageyama’s poor heart to handle, but the runt had a point. It was hard enough to be connected with the National team with many of them being out of the country during the season and only returning here and there for games and small practice sessions. During the summer when they had a couple months together, it would be best to be as close to the gym as possible. 

**Dumbass:** ‘ _ yay!! I’ve been lookin online and found a couple places we can check out(๑･̑◡･̑๑)’ _

_ ‘Your gonna use tht emoji forever. Aren’t you.’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘yup!!!’ _

**Dumbass:** _ ‘(๑･̑◡･̑๑)’ _

Kageyama contemplated staying in Italy for the summer.

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


He didn’t stay in Italy. 

A short week later found him stepping off of the airplane ramp and into the surreal alternate universe that was the Narita airport. 

After the low, steady hum of the airplane motor, the contrast of the loud crowds pulsing around him was as overwhelming as you’d expect.

He heard snippets of languages he didn’t know, but the familiar Japanese signs let him know that he was in fact home. 

In Japan’s timezone, it was past his bedtime and in Italy’s time zone it was  _ way  _ past his bedtime. Either way, he was grumpy and tired and ready to be home.

The familiar neon signs and lights of his train stop were revealed as the train door slid open, and without even having to think about it, Kageyama traveled down the well known route to their apartment, wondering if Hinata would still be up.

The other boy had arrived the day before and was most likely still fighting a losing battle with jet lag, and it would be a miracle if he was still awake. 

However, Kageyama heard a loud noise before he even opened the door, and paused briefly before entering.. not sure what he was about to walk into. 

Hinata was  _ definitely _ not asleep.

The banging sound of pots and pans filled Kageyama’s head even louder with the door open, and as he stepped quietly inside.. his face scrunched up at the smell of something burning. 

The sound of a lid dropping on the floor and Hinata hissing in pain made his feet move towards the sight that his eyes didn’t want to see, and he rounded the corner to be faced with a sight that he wasn’t sure made him want to laugh or cry. 

Dirty dishes were  _ everywhere, _ the rice was boiling over, something was quickly turning an unnaturally dark shade of brown in the frying pan, and Hinata was running his hand under cold water amongst the chaos. 

“You okay?” Kageyama asked, unsure if he was talking to the rice, mysterious brown lump in the pan, or Hinata. 

Hinata whipped around at the sound of his voice, “BWAH Kageyamaaaaa” his eyes were filled with tears, and Kageyama wasn’t sure if they were of frustration or pain. 

Wordlessly, Kageyama crossed the room, turning off the stove on his way and took Hinata’s hand in his own, turning it over to see an angry red mark on the back of it. 

“I have no idea how you managed to get a burn there…. but it’s not a bad one. Looks like you won’t die tonight.” 

Hinata smiled gratefully at him through his tears before looking at the mess on the stove, and his smile fell into a pout. “I might when you taste what I made.” 

Kageyama surveyed the damage as he asked, “what were you trying to make?”

“Omurice. Just something simple..” Hinata sighed in defeat and rested his back against the counter “it wasn’t simple.” 

Kageyama snorted, but honestly.. it didn’t look as bad as it had when he first walked in. 

“I just wanted it to be perfect.” Hinata said quietly, and his dark circled eyes had that glossy look to them again like he was going to cry, and that  _ wasn’t allowed. _

“The rice is saveable.” Kageyama mumbled, looking away from Hinata and towards what they had to work with. “The eggs definitely aren’t.. but you weren’t supposed to make the egg until the filling was done anyways.” 

Kageyama left his side to pull a few things out of the fridge and set them on the counter for Hinata to mix with the rice in a pan (under his close supervision, of course)

A few minutes later, Kageyama realized why he was the one who normally was in charge of cooking. 

“-No, you idiot! Cooking for 5 minutes on low heat doesn’t mean you can cook it for 5 seconds on high. It doesn’t work that way!” 

“But why not???” Hinata gasped “it’s simple math!!”

“We both failed math.”

“Then you shouldn’t tell me it isn’t right.” 

Kageyama glared at him, and Hinata held his hands up in defeat before silently turning the stove back down to low heat.

_ Dumbass  _

Leaning against the counter, Kageyama watched as Hinata stirred veggies into the rice. He was making a mess by stirring a little too vigorously, but the way his eyebrows furrowed in concentration and tongue peaked out from between his lips made it okay.

Kageyama was definitely staring, but it had been so long since he’d seen the other boy, so could you blame him?

He realized he hadn’t even gotten his hello hug because of all the chaos happening in the room when he had first arrived. 

“When do we do the eggs?” Hinata asked, looking over his shoulder at Kageyama. He paused when he saw that he had already been looking, and his eyes narrowed as his mouth opened to say something-

“Right now is good. I can do them since it’s a little tricky getting them folded over the rice.” Kageyama quickly interjected.

He avoided Hinata’s eyes and began mixing the eggs with more force than was necessary.

~

The omurice ended up being a little messy and the rice a little too sticky, but as the two of them settled in together at their table, Kageyama thought it was one of the best things he’d ever tasted. 

But maybe that had something to do with the fact he was finally..  _ finally.. _ sitting besides the person who cared enough to try and make it for him (despite having no idea how to). 

.｡~☆~｡.

“What do you mean this one is too.. ‘shiny’??” Kageyama sighed, exasperated and tired. 

“The floors are all shiny, the appliances are all shiny.. the walls are somehow even shiny!” Hinata responded, equally as exasperated and tired. “It’s like an alien spaceship.”

“It’s a new apartment. It’s supposed to look like that.” 

Kageyama didn’t like the apartment either, but they had seen so many apartments that day with no luck that he was frustrated and ready to pick one, spaceship or not. 

Hinata’s intense gaze melted after a brief glaring match, and his shoulders slumped as he mumbled “I’m tired.” 

Hinata had started the day so full of energy, bouncing around Kageyama in excitement to find a new place, and the brightness in his eyes contrasted the current dark circles below them. 

He didn’t even look up when Kageyama brushed his fingertips on his arm, a rare gesture for him.

“Let’s go home.” 

“Yeah.” He nodded and exited the room without meeting Kageyama’s eyes.   
  


~ 

They wordlessly toed off their shoes before walking just as wordlessly into the living room. 

Kageyama wasn’t sure if Hinata would want some space and sat pressed against the side of the couch as he propped his sore feet up on the small table.

“You’d think since we’re professional athletes and all… we would be fine standing and walking around for a day.” Hinata mentioned, sighing as he put his legs on Kageyama’s lap (apparently he didn’t need space after all).

“Standing is different. It hurts more because gravity affects you better when you aren’t moving.” Kageyama said, rolling his eyes.

“That makes no sense.” 

It really didn’t. 

Kageyama pressed his palms into his eye sockets before running his hands through his hair. 

He felt Hinata’s sharp gaze on him the whole time, and was almost scared to look at the other boy. 

It had been an emotionally charged day with a lot of decisions, and he felt like Hinata was upset with him for being okay with the spaceship house (he hadn’t been okay with it.)

A car horn honked loudly outside of their open window, but Kageyama hardly noticed it. The city noise that used to be so unfamiliar blended into the background that was his new home.. and he was too exhausted to notice.

Not only physically exhausted from their long day, but mentally as well from the thinking they had done as they checked things off of the mental list they had for the apartment qualification.

“You know.. I did find another place online that could work…” Hinata began, still staring at Kageyama. 

“Yeah? Let’s check it out tomorrow.” 

A wave of relief coursed over Kageyama as he looked at the other boy to see that familiar, happy sparkle in his brown eyes despite the exhaustion still clinging there.

“Okay!” Hinata beamed at him for the first time in  _ hours _ , and Kageyama wondered if this was what it felt like to have a long drink of water after being in a desert.

.｡~☆~｡.

Before they even stepped foot in the apartment Hinata had found, Kageyama knew he liked it. 

First, it was in a city nearby the gym that they trained at, and secondly, there was even a small park nearby that reminded him of the one the two of them would sometimes meet at back in highschool. 

It was at that park that Kageyama had realized just how cute Hinata’s freckles were, (a life changing moment) and he peeked at them out of the corner of his eyes as they walked past the kids playing in the soft, green grass. 

That night in the park had been a turning point in Kageyama’s view of Hinata, and he hadn’t even realized it at the time. 

He remembered the way the moonlight seemed extra bright while they sat together in the grass, as if Hinata somehow made even the darkest nights bright like himself, a star all on his own.

Hinata had changed and grown in many ways since that night, and Kageyama loved him even more for it.

He watched as his brown eyes lit up at the apartment in front of them before he stopped abruptly to pull out his phone and check that they had the right address. He smiled triumphantly as he held the screen up to Kageyama’s face to show him that he successfully navigated their way there without getting them lost.

_ Dumbass. He really has changed. _

As soon as the two of them were let into the apartment, Kageyama knew in his little heart that it was the one, and couldn’t believe that they hadn’t checked it out earlier.

The place glowed with soft sunlight filtering through the wide windows, and there was a happy way that the light reflected gently off of the wooden floors.

He heard Hinata’s intake of breath, and knew instinctively that he could feel the rightness of it all as well. 

Kageyama walked into the room, appreciating the openness of the kitchen, but Hinata didn’t move from where he was standing in the genkan. 

“There’s a reason why we didn’t visit this one yesterday…” Hinata began hesitantly.

Kageyama paused and looked back at him in question, his heart stopping in his chest.

“It’s only a one bedroom place.”

_ Oh thank god.  _

Kageyama tried to keep his face neutral from betraying how relieved he felt, having fully expected Hinata to say something like “there are ghosts here” or “the landlord is part of the yakuza.” 

In comparison, that was  _ much  _ better.

“You can sleep on the couch.” Kageyama joked, smirking as he turned to admire the soft looking couch that filled the welcoming living room as he tried to hide the overwhelming feelings welling up inside of him.

“WHAT!” Hinata gasped in indignation as he ran over to his side and grabbed his arm “No sir! Not after sleeping on ours last night!! My neck  _ still _ hurts and it’s all your fault for letting us fall asleep there!” 

Kageyama shrugged his shoulders. It was kind of partially his fault, and he decided to change the subject. “Well I like the kitchen in this one, so I guess I’ll have to put up with you being even more obnoxiously in my space.” 

True to his word, Hinata hung tightly onto his arm and rubbed his face on the side of Kageyama’s shoulder roughly before smiling up at him in that breathtaking way that made the sunlight pale in comparison, as if it knew there was no competition in brightness. “You know you don’t mind.” Hinata told him teasingly.

And the funny thing was, Kageyama did know that. 

He knew he didn’t mind that they would be sharing a room despite never having had to share one with anyone before. 

Because somehow.. someway..

He wanted to share  _ everything _ with the small boy at his side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, there aren’t any ghosts in their apartment.. but is their landlord part of the yakuza ? Hmm…. 
> 
> ~
> 
> I made Omurice and decided to have Hinata make it and suffer because mine turned out ugly 
> 
> ~
> 
> Anyways y’all.. pls let me know what you enjoyed in this chapter or past chapters, because I’m needing the serotonin and motivation real bad rn T^T
> 
> ||IG: @sundance10_art ||  
> ||Twitter: @letsgocrazy2020


	40. Operation: Seduce Kageyama Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yay I promised this chapter way way long ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay it’s the longest chapter yet

Everyone has that one person in their life. 

The person who they can always go to for relationship advice (even if the advice is sometimes terrifying)

For Hinata, that certain someone was Yachi Hitoka

A few days after Hinata and Kageyama had moved to Tokyo, he invited her over to sit on their living room floor and talk about his stupid “crush” just like old times. Only now it was much more than a little crush and they were also in the apartment that Hinata freakin owned (okay, _half_ owned… (Still very much counts as adulting))

“I can’t believe you talked him into sharing a bed!!” Yachi laughed, hugging her knees as she rocked backwards. 

Hinata’s mouth opened in mock innocence “I have no idea what you’re talking about. It was the last apartment I had on my list!!”

“Uh huhhhh” Yachi smiled sweetly at him before gazing around the room “it is a really beautiful place though, so I’m glad it worked out. But for real, how has it been sharing a bed _every night?_ Have either of you made a move yet?”

Hinata sighed in frustration and kicked his feet out in front of him, thankful for the fact that the two of them could speak freely since Kageyama was out for the evening doing some sort of sponsorship shooting. “No” 

Yachi’s eyebrows rose and Hinata shook his head “Really! We’ve only been back in Japan for about..” he paused to think for a moment before continuing “a week? and it’s like everyone is trying to make up for the time that we’ve been gone!! Sponsorship junk and practice have both been insane, which is awesome, but also _wow_ am I tired. Both of us are falling asleep on the train ride home, and by the time we’re actually going to bed we’re just zombies.” 

As soon as the words were out of Hinata’s mouth, he wished he could take them back because the thought of Kageyama zombie was TERRIFYING. He better not have any nightmares about that later..

“Aw yeah.. adulthood.” Yachi sighed knowingly “they keep giving me new assignments at my job, so I understand the exhaustion.”

Hinata nodded in apathy. He had heard the horror stories about Yachi’s job before, and his thoughts once again returned to the nightmares he might have.. maybe zombie Kageyama would be making him design a logo.. only Hinata wouldn’t have a computer to do it and only a few crayons and everyone would laugh at him and-

“So-“ Yachi interrupted “You mentioned your schedule lightens up in a couple days, right?” 

Hinata quickly shoved his thoughts away and nodded his head “Yeah!! We’re getting a lot done this week, so from now on it’ll mostly only be training. We even have a practice game next weekend!!” 

Yachi’s eyes sparkled in happiness as she exclaimed “oh yeah?? This will be your first time playing with each other in awhile, won’t it?” 

“Yes!! I’m so excited I might throw up!!” 

“Keep it in!” Yachi laughed.

“Don’t worry” Hinata reassured her. “I don’t do that.. anymore. But I am super excited! Sure, we practice together every day now, but there’s something… different.. about standing on the same side of the net together and facing a team we’ve never played before, you know?” 

“And when you do that first quick attack and see their faces as they register how fast it actually is in person.” Yachi sighed, a faraway look in her eyes. 

“Mhhmm.. wow remember in highschool when we first figured it out??” Hinata shook his head in disbelief “I can’t believe how much we’ve changed since then.” 

“I know!” She agreed, blonde hair bobbing as she nodded her head. “You two are so close… I can’t believe you aren’t married yet.” Yachi rolled her eyes before continuing, “but seriously though.. are you planning on actually doing something or just pine from a distance?”

“I’m definitely done with the pining.” Hinata winked. 

She smiled excitedly and clapped her hands before her eyebrows returned to scrunching up in confusion. “But aren’t you two apart most of the year? Wasn’t that your reason for not confessing in the first place?”

“Yeah that was definitely part of it!” Hinata crossed his legs, happy that she brought the subject up. “I think it was more about me figuring things out first, and I feel ready now. before, life was just so big and everything was unknown that I wanted things to stay the same between us” Hinata sighed “now I just want him.” 

“That makes sense” Yachi hummed “You’re at a different stage of life now.

Hinata nodded in agreement. “The timing feels right.. I’m 24 now instead of just a kid. I’ve known since then that I’ve liked Kageyama, but I needed to do things on my own for a bit.” 

“Right!” She agreed quickly “And that’s good, it would’ve been so hard for you both to have gotten together and then had to have been apart for YEARS! now at least it’s only months at a time.”

“And in highschool, he seemed to be so far ahead of me in terms of volleyball.. now that I’ve kicked his butt a couple times, I feel like we’re on equal footing. Don’t ask how that relates to us dating, but somehow it seems important!!”

Yachi laughed “somehow that seems exactly on brand for you two volleyball idiots.” 

“Plus.. we’re living together now..” Hinata trailed off and stared into the distance with his mouth hanging open.

“That _definitely_ changes things,” Yachi said knowingly. 

“I just want to hold his hand and have it mean more, and I wanna do dumb stuff like kiss his face and have him absolutely destroy my ass-“

“-Hinata!!” Yachi gasped 

“Sorry!! I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”’ Hinata laughed nervously “you get the idea though!! It’s really hard being so close... and _not_ have all of that.”

“I bet he feels the same way.” Yachi wiggled her eyebrows.

“Probably? I’m sure you’re right, but that tiny part of my brain still says ‘AHH you’re wrong!’ He seems so much more guarded than he did back in highschool. What if he used to like me but doesn’t anymore?”

“Hmm” Yachi thought for a second “I’m pretty sure he’s madly in love with you, but you know him best. I think I have an idea though..”

“Is it ‘seduce Kageyama’ again? Because I had definitely already been planning that” Hinata smiled. 

“Awee yeahh!!”

“Yay! My ass is ready!”

“Hinata!!!”

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Hinata decided to take up the hobby of yoga.

For _purely_ athletic reasons. 

Yes, there were no ulterior motives with that decision. Nope. None at all. 

And there were definitely no ulterior motives when Hinata decided to wear the tightest pairs of athletic pants he owned (that he _knew_ made his ass look good) while doing it. None whatsoever. 

Hinata wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing, so he started by watching tutorials online before Kageyama got home and found out to his joy that it wasn’t as difficult as he had thought (typing “easy! Beginner!!! Yoga” into the search bar helped with that) 

When he heard the front door click open, Hinata couldn’t help the small smile that grew on his lips as he made sure to bend even deeper into his pose.

The sound of keys dropping to the floor almost had Hinata’s head whipping around to see Kageyama’s reaction but he was calm~ and centered~ and no he was definitely not distracted with the thought of Kageyama’s strong hands on his hips as he bent him over further~ 

“What the fuck are you doing?” 

_Yeah he’s definitely into this too_

“Just some yoga!” Hinata replied cheerfully and walked his feet to the top of the mat and stood slowly, raising his arms above his head as he finally allowed himself to peek as coyly as he could over his shoulder to study Kageyama’s face.

“But why.” He said, mouth parted slightly

Hinata had always been good at reading the other boy, but sometimes Kageyama would get such a blank look on his face that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.. or _if_ he was even thinking. 

It was one of those times.

“It’s good for flexibility and strength!” Hinata answered, bending down to wrap his hands around his ankles and press his chest into his thighs, all of a sudden feeling self conscious about the fact that his ass was on full display to Kageyama, but also loving that it was. 

His already tight pants felt a little tighter in the front, and he leaned deeper into the stretch, biting his lip as he felt himself press against the top of his thighs.

He wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard Kageyama’s breath hitch, and all of a sudden the room felt warmer than it had a few minutes before. 

His heart was racing in his chest, and he had a feeling it wasn’t because of the exercise. 

Kageyama started talking, and Hinata had to focus real hard on what he was even saying.

“-looks like it would be useful for flexibility. Which helps when you’re in the air to be able to react to the ball in ways people wouldn’t expect.”

Hinata looked at Kageyama again and was surprised to see a competitive gleam in his deep blue eyes as he nodded in approval, and Hinata wasn’t sure if it was because of thinking about volleyball... or something else.

To test his theory, Hinata slowly dropped down to his knees and as gracefully as possible, arched his back in the way the instructor in the video had earlier. 

Looking again, he was satisfied to see that the small competitive flicker turned into an inferno within the other pair of eyes, and Hinata didn’t miss the way they quickly ran down his body. 

He could feel the path of the gaze along his skin as if it had been a physical touch, and he shivered in anticipation. 

“You know..” Kageyama began “I need to work on my strength too. I can’t have you outdoing me.” He allowed a rare smirk to cross his lips and Hinata’s knees would’ve been trembling if they hadn’t been firmly planted on the ground. And that was even _before_ Kageyama went to change into his workout clothes which were tight enough to highlight just how jacked he was. 

Yeah.. Hinata was glad he was “firmly grounded” as the yoga instructor said.

He watched in fascination as Kageyama moved to the small weight station that they had set up in the corner of the room, knowing what was about to happen and also knowing there was nothing he could do to stop the waves of arousal that washed over him every damn time Kageyama worked out at home. 

There was a strange feeling of competition that hung heavily in the air around them as they quietly continued with their respective workouts.

_Okay but is he competing with me to get me to jump him first.. or is he competing with me in a purely volleyball and muscle sense ???_

_Hmm not sure, but I like it either way._

Hinata changed to a more difficult pose and watched the muscles in Kageyama’s arms shift as he started using heavier weights. Sweat cast a subtle sheen over his skin that glowed in the afternoon sun, and his hair was pushed carelessly back off of his forehead in that annoyingly attractive way.

_He looks so heckin good what the.. I was supposed to be doing the seducing!!!_

It wasn’t fair, and Kageyama was supposed to be the one drooling! 

Hinata wasn’t going to give up. 

He was going to make Kageyama break first. 

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

Even before opening his eyes, Hinata knew it was going to be a great day.

He could tell that Kageyama wasn’t beside him though, and normally that started the day off wrong.. but he was too happy to care about who woke up first.

Besides practice, they had a relatively clear schedule that week, and he felt the comforting rays of early morning sun filtering through the blinds as they fell gently on his skin. Normally the two of them would be up before sunrise for their morning run, so Hinata appreciated the extra hour of sleep and could already feel it’s effects on his body.

Maybe it was affecting him a little bit _too_ much though because he realized that he had way too much energy and sat up abruptly. 

“The fuck?” Kageyama mumbled as he chose that exact moment to walk into the room “why are you just sitting there… weirdo.”

Hinata forgot to answer as he watched Kageyama mess around in one of his drawers for something. He realized with satisfaction that Kageyama’s soft black hair was still a bit messy, so he couldn’t have woken up _too_ much earlier.

The first few nights they had been living together in their first apartment, Hinata remembered how they would compete to see who would wake up earlier.. which had been a mistake because they woke up at 2:00am and refused to go back to sleep. 

Kageyama had been grumpy as heck those days. 

“And now you’re just sitting there with your mouth open.” Kageyama locked eyes with him in the mirror before turning to face him as he crossed his arms. “Did having a night of actual sleep break your brain, dumbass?”

“WHAT” Hinata gasped, proud to have overcome the brain dead state that Kageyama’s morning voice sometimes put him in “I’m not just sitting here! I’m getting up, idiot!” 

Kageyama’s mouth parted to retort but he quickly clamped it shut as Hinata threw the blanket off and slid his _very bare_ legs over the side of the bed. 

He was wearing Kageyama’s shirt along with his smallest pair of boxers, which in and of itself wasn’t abnormal.. but Hinata knew what he was doing as he parted his legs slightly and stretched his arms up above his head. It felt amazing to stretch and not only to get rid of the soreness in his back, but also to see the look on Kageyama’s face.

The way Kageyama's eyes darkened went right to Hinata’s lower gut, and his legs parted even further, feeling the shirt ride up to expose his boxers. 

For two beats, everything was silent as Hinata locked eyes challengingly with Kageyama 

The moment broke abruptly as a phone rang out behind Kageyama, and he swore as he spun around to start rooting around in the drawer he had been looking in before.

“Why are you looking for it in there!!??” Hinata laughed and watched Kageyama fumble for the phone he had apparently left in the sock drawer. 

“Shut up.” He bit out embarrassedly before he answered his phone and mumbled affirmative to whoever was on the line. Judging from the one sided conversation, it sounded like Kageyama would have somewhere to be in the next hour.

Hinata fought down the disappointment rising inside of him and took that as his cue to head out of the room and get ready for the day. It had felt like something had been just about to happen before the phone rang. 

_Stinkin’ phone call._

Hinata hadn’t imagined the look that had passed briefly over Kageyama’s face as he tried to subtly eye up the soft skin of Hinata’s inner thighs.

He smiled to himself at the thought about the way the other boy would look at him if he didn’t have boxers on underneath. 

.｡~☆~｡.

“Kageyama, it's okay, we really don’t have to go to the club with them.”

The gym had emptied after practice until it was just Hinata and Kageyama left in the changing room.

“But I want to, dumbass. You hang out with them all the time, and I should maybe join once in a while?” Kageyama tossed his sweaty towel at Hinata’s face who thankfully knew him well enough to have dodged it. “I’ll just see what it’s like.”

“Woo hoo!! Adult initiation!!” Hinata screamed 

“Dumbass. I’m an adult!” Kageyama grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him up close towards his face, pressing Hinata’s back up against the locker door behind him.

This was a move that he’d done since highschool, although not as often now that they were older, so Hinata should be used to it by now.. right? 

“Not yet you aren’t” Hinata’s heart was racing in his chest. 

They’d always been physically with each other, and it hadn’t always bothered Hinata in as extreme a way as it did now…. But with tensions rising (without an outlet), it made Hinata want to be pressed up against the locker door in a _completely_ different way

“Tch” Kageyama dropped Hinata back down to the group before quickly ruffling his hair and walking out of the room, leaving a very emotionally conflicted Hinata in his wake. 

Even though his brain was having a hard time thinking any thoughts beyond how pretty Kageyama’s mouth had been just a few inches away from his own, he realized that Kageyama would finally be coming to one of the party nights with the team.

Depending on who in their friend group planned the night, it could be either very mild or very much _not_ mild but a great time. 

Kageyama would attend the more chill nights, like bingo at Ushijima’s house, but for the nights that they’d go to the club.. Hinata never pushed him beyond the basic invitation, knowing full well how Kageyama felt about loud music and unknown people. 

Hinata was really happy he was willing to give it a try, and he felt butterflies in his stomach when he thought about maybe dancing with Kageyama.

.｡~☆~｡.

As soon as the two of them stepped inside the club, Hinata felt his energy level rise, and he straightened his shoulders as he surveyed the dark room filled with colorful lights and flashy people. 

Kageyama was a solid presence at his back, and he reached behind him to brush their hands together as he spun around to see how the other boy was doing. 

“So this is being an adult?” Kageyama asked straight-face as he surveyed the mob of people grinding on each other on the dance floor and taking shots at the bar, some already looking sick despite the fact that it wasn’t that late yet. 

Normally Hinata would quickly make his way to his friend group, and dance with them for most of the night after having a few shots, but he already knew tonight was going to be different than normal.

“It’s sort of lame.” 

Yup.. definitely different because he was going to show Kageyama that it was _not_ lame!!

Hinata had always loved crowds, and he especially loved the way the pulsing energy brought them to life with the beat of some indistinct music. Faces blurred together, and dancing with them made him briefly feel the same feeling he’d get on the court whenever he’d make a play as the decoy.

Like no one was watching him and yet everyone’s eyes were on him at the same exact time. 

He lived for it.

But there was only one person that he wanted watching him that night.

Hinata studied Kageyama’s frowning face as he took in the same sight Hinata did, albeit in a very different way. 

He looked _good_ in his dark blue button up (that Hinata picked out) tucked into and his black pants (that Hinata also picked out) that called attention to his beautiful thighs and even more beautiful ass. 

“What?” 

Instead of frowning at the crowd, Kageyama was now frowning at him and _wow_ the lighting made him look like he was glowing. 

“You wanna fight?” 

The small sparkle in his eye, so carefully hidden from anyone else shone brightly as he looked down at Hinata. 

“Yes, but let me get you a drink first.” Hinata said, smirking. 

_Finally.. I have someone to flirt with._

The people who had approached Hinata on nights he’d gone with the rest of the team had been mild annoyances, even the ones that could be considered attractive somehow never lived up to the boy he was currently dragging along behind him. 

He thought he saw Hoshiumi’s light colored hair in the crowd somewhere reflecting the multicolored lights, and Bokuto's loud laugh somewhere else, but he would have time to find them later. 

For now, Hinata was too focused on watching Kageyama’s face as he downed the shot of whiskey he had bought for him, only wincing slightly at the taste. 

“It’s nasty, isn’t it!?” Hinata asked loudly over the sound of the pulsing bass, taking a shot of his own and scrunched up his nose at the taste.

“No.”

_He’s totally lying_

Since Kageyama could drink his with a relatively straight face, Hinata ordered a few more for them and tried his best to keep his face neutral as he drank them (he failed).

He couldn’t wait to get out on that dance floor, but had found that he liked to have a few shots in him to help loosen up beforehand. 

_Pfft look at me thinking I know what I’m doing.. I’ve done this twice._

Things were different with Kageyama at his side though, and Hinata began to feel shy about dancing in front of him and distracted himself with drinking one more small, nasty shot.

They joked casually with each other about the things they saw happening around the room, and it wasn’t long before it was Kageyama’s turn to order them both a few more drinks. 

Hinata had never had so much fun there before, normally bypassing the bar after a while because of the lonely people trying to take him home. With a tall, muscular (scary) looking boy at his side, there was (not so shockingly) a decline in the number of people who approached him. 

He giggled way too much at whatever dumb thing Kageyama was saying, and leaned further into his space. Hinata was beginning to feel the effects of the drinks on his body, and he definitely didn’t mind.

“SHOUYOU!!” Atsumu’s voice broke out over the cataclysm of sound just as Hinata was passing the ‘I’m so happy and everything is so funny’ stage to the ‘wait, the room is starting to move too much’ stage.

He could have been imagining it, but he thought he noticed Kageyama’s fingers tighten on his glass as his frown deepened when he heard the voice of their teammate. 

The two setters never played on the same side of the court during practices, and Hinata had definitely noticed some sort of strange tension between the two of them over the past year. 

Was it because they were rivals for the main spot as setter on the roster? 

“Whoa, Tobio came too?!!” Atsumu shouted, throwing his arm around Kageyama as Bokuto came up around the other side, and arm around Akaashi’s waist. A look of mild shock hung on all of their faces.

“Akaashi, why do you look surprised!!?” Hinata laughed “this is only the second time you’ve joined us!!!”

“I talked him into it!!” Bokuto yelled excitedly “And we’re gonna make the most of it and go dance!!!” His whole face lit up with happiness as he dragged Akaashi into the mob of people. 

“You gonna join?!” Atsumu shouted, and yes, Kageyama was definitely frowning now. 

“In a bit!!” Hinata yelled back and waved as the other boy nodded before melding into the crowd. 

“You don’t have to stay with me.” Kageyama said, speaking a little quieter than the rest of them as his eyes focused fixadly on the glass in his hands.

“But I want to!!!” Hinata beamed at him even though the other boy wasn’t looking. 

Through his eyelashes, Kageyama glanced at him with a funny expression on his face. Bright colors of rainbow danced in his dark hair and cast shadows across his skin. 

_He belongs here_ .. _in this light_

Hinata was having a hard time remembering how to breathe or how to think, and he decided he had better stop drinking. 

One thing was for sure; if he got much drunker he might suggest the two of them go back home already because he wanted nothing more than to rip open the buttons of Kageyama’s shirt. 

Yeah.. he definitely wanted to do that, and if the pink cheeks on Kageyama’s face as he looked intently at Hinata meant anything beyond the alcohol, maybe he wouldn’t mind it. 

Hinata tore his eyes away and focused instead on the mass of movement ebbing and flowing with the beat. 

_We’re in public. We’re in public. We’re in public._

“You want to dance, don’t you?” Kageyama asked, close to his ear so that he could hear him. 

Hinata looked up at him in surprise. 

“You should. I can tell you want to…” Kageyama trailed off.

“You could join!” Hinata suggested, hopefully 

Kageyama just shook his head and gave him a little shove, returning to ask the bartender for another drink. 

Hinata _did_ really want to dance, and the alcohol humming in his veins made him need to move, to express himself in ways that words weren’t able to.. but he felt reluctant to leave.

“Are you sure!??” Hinata yelled, one last time. 

Disappointment filled his chest as Kageyama didn’t even turn around, choosing instead to nod his consent and give a small wave. 

Hinata shrugged, vowing to only dance for a short time and find Kageyama again, knowing it was his first time there (and because he missed him already).

He slipped away from the bar, choosing to not go too far as he moved his way among the people feeding off of the music. Smiles greeted him as he joined, throwing his hands up in the air, and he allowed himself to be swept away in the feelings of pure joy. 

Darkness mixed with the colorful lights cast an otherworldly glow over the room, painting skin and clothes alike in deep shades of blue and violet. The few times Hinata had experienced dancing among the thrall, he realized time seemed to stop.. or rather time didn’t exist as he moved to the music and felt it flow through him.

He didn’t know how much time passed, but the thought that Kageyama was there in the room with him was a comforting thought that maybe made him move his hips in a way that he didn’t normally. 

On an emotional high and missing the other boy, he found his way back to the bar. 

“What’s the matter!?” Hinata all but shouted into Kageyama’s ear once he spotted the familiar build of his partner. 

Kageyama’s red rimmed eyes rolled in the direction of Hinata’s voice, but they were slightly out of focus. It was then that Hinata noticed the discarded glasses on the counter near Kageyama.. 

“Did you drink all of those yourself?!”

Kageyama nodded his eyebrows furrowed together as he shouted back “You were gone for so long!! And why is it so fuckin hot in here?!” He started moving his _very_ uncoordinated hands to his shirt and slowly unbuttoned it, one button at a time. 

Hinata’s mouth went dry, and the music quieted in his ears as more of Kageyama’s perfect, toned chest and stomach were revealed. 

It could very well have been the alcohol coursing through his own body, but Hinata felt bold. 

Bold enough to move his hips gently as he walked closer, place his hands on Kageyama's wrists to stop him, stand on his tiptoes and say, “dance with me~” and to not wait for a reply as he took hold of the other boy’s hands that had been unsuccessfully working on trying to extricate Kageyama from his shirt.

Glossy dark blue eyes focused intensely on Hinata’s face, and Kageyama nodded his head as his lips parted, following Hinata where he led him into the group of people. 

Everything faded into the background as Kageyama’s arm wrapped around Hinata’s waist, pulling him close. 

The loud, pulsing music flowed through Hinata’s body as he moved against Kageyama, wrapping his arms around his neck and tangling his fingers in the other boy's soft hair. 

Hinata’s blood rushed in his ears and thundered in his heart along with the bass as he felt the way Kageyama brushed his lips against Hinata’s neck. He threw his head back, begging for more as Kageyama’s hands traveled down his body. 

Hinata couldn’t help himself and let out a gasp as he felt the way Kageyama pressed up against him, both reacting to the nearness of the other. Following the flow of the music, Hinata spun himself around so that his back was pressed up against his broad chest, rocking his hips sensually and resting his head on Kageyama’s shoulder.

He didn’t care who saw them connected like that. In fact, he loved the thought of everyone seeing the way Kageyama’s hands ran hungrily over his hips, gripping them tightly whenever he moved just right. As if to say Hinata was _his,_ and no one had better question that.

“Let’s go back.” Kageyama roughly spoke into his ear, pressing his soft lips against it. 

Hinata was too far beyond words, and nodded as he pried himself away despite the way his body protested. 

He was sure their teammates were well aware of what was happening, as they normally did a good job of keeping an eye on Hinata and making sure he didn’t get trampled, so he didn’t bother to find them to say goodbye. 

Kageyama continued to press close as they stepped outside, and the rush of fresh air helped clear Hinata’s mind as the door closed behind them, muffling the sound of that addicting music.

As Kageyama stumbled behind him and almost tripped into the ditch on the side of the road, Hinata grabbed his arm and realized getting him home might not be the easiest task in the world..

“Why are you so stinkin heavy!!!!” He yelled as Kageyama leaned against him. 

“Muscle.” Kageyama responded, straightfaced.

“Is that all that’s on your pea brain?” Hinata asked.

“Mhhm” 

Kageyama looked pointedly down at Hinata’s ass.

A rush of elation flowed through Hinata’s chest and stomach, and he knew his face couldn’t have hidden the wide smirk that lit up his face at how forward Kageyama was finally being. 

“Th’nks for takin’ me tonight.” Kageyama muttered “I had fun.. hangover’s gonna be a bitch though..” his head lolled to the side as he frowned up at the stars. “I don’t feel so good.” 

Hinata rubbed Kageyama’s back as he emptied his stomach into a bush, and he realized that there may have been an outside factor to why Kageyama was being so open. 

He was drunk as _heck_.

(Yes, he just now realized that)

He was a little disappointed that they wouldn’t be able to do anything that night like confess or make out or have sex (all of the above).. because the longer Hinata was outside with the fresh air, the clearer his head became and he realized that his first priority was to get Kageyama home and tucked into bed. 

It was a struggle making that happen, but it wasn’t long before Hinata was pulling off Kageyama’s shoes and wrestling him onto the bed. He had somehow managed to get the other boy to brush his teeth and drink some water, but it hadn’t been easy.

He contemplated removing the rest of his clothes as well, but couldn’t bring himself to do it and settled for at least taking off his belt because those things were ultra uncomfy to sleep in.

Hinata reached over Kageyama to pull the blanket up, laughing at the spaced out grin that was on the other boy's face. 

“Heh.. freckles” Kageyama mumbled almost incoherently, reaching up to pull a surprised Hinata down beside him until they were face to face. 

Kageyama’s glossy eyes were inches from his own, and they traced an invisible path over Hinata’s rosy cheeks and the tip of his nose. 

Hinata smiled back at him, and settled on the comfy blankets.

“That one looks like Bob” Kageyama said and pointed at one of his freckles, narrowly missing sticking his finger in Hinata’s nostril with his uncoordinated hands. 

Hinata laughed and batted his hand away, but froze as Kageyama said with full sincerity “I like your freckles.” And before Hinata could react, Kageyama had leaned forward and placed a messy kiss on Hinata’s cheek, before doing it again and again, only kissing his eye once but otherwise managing to stay mostly on target. 

“Gonna kiss them all.” Kageyama mumbled in that determined tone of voice that Hinata knew meant ‘just watch. I’ll do it’ 

He wanted nothing more than to see him achieve that goal.

His heart thundered noisily in his chest, and Hinata pushed Kageyama away despite wanting to pull him closer. He forced a laugh and managed to say, “who knew grumpy Kageyama would be the affectionate drunk type, huh?” 

Kageyama rested his head on the pillow, eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Grumpy? Affect’nant? drunk?? ‘m just tired I’m goin to sleep now. goodbye.” 

“It’s ‘goodnight’ dummy..” 

“Mm goodnigh’ to you too.” Kageyama muttered, voice muffled by the soft pillow he was burying his face into. 

Hinata moved to sit up and looked down at the rare sight in front of him.

Kageyama’s cheeks were flushed pink, and an easy smile that he didn’t normally allow people to see worked its way across his face. His long eyelashes dusted his cheeks as he kept his eyes shut.

Hinata found once again that he couldn’t look away. 

_He’s just so beautiful what the heck_.

“You’re kinda pretty, Bakageyama.” Hinata whispered.

A small sliver of that deep, night sky blue appeared as Kageyama cracked one eye open and looked up at Hinata. 

His heart jumped into his throat.

Kageyama’s smile grew, and he held out his hand to Hinata as his eyelid fluttered closed again. 

For a brief second, Hinata didn’t grab his hand but instead admired the way his long fingers, callused in places that Hinata was all too familiar with, reached for him. 

“‘nata. take it, dum’ass.” Kageyama mumbled into the pillow. 

Hinata laughed as he gently took his much larger hand into his own, interlacing their fingers. 

“th’nk you.” 

“I’ll hold your hand whenever, idiot.” Hinata smiled. 

“you better.” 

Hinata knew he was willing to not only hold his hand in soft moments such as the one they were experiencing, with the gentle hum of the cicadas trying their best to cover up the distant city noise, but even in the moments where light didn’t penetrate. The moments when maybe the only thing they would have is to hold tightly onto each other’s hand, unsure of anything else. 

He’d always hold onto Kageyama. The boy who, like his hands, was such a complex mix of rough and soft, callous and gentle all at once 

Hinata wouldn’t ever let go.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all expected smut and got fluff HAH
> 
> ~
> 
> Ahhh only a few more chapters for us and just a few more days for them WOO HOO!!!! (yes that could be a sims reference ?) 
> 
> ~
> 
> Still not the proudest of this chapter because I could hardly keep my eyes open while writing it... but maybe eventually I’ll go and edit it to my liking :) what part did y’all like the most? A lot happened haha 
> 
> ~  
> Thank you all for being so supportive in the comments about me moving to an every other week posting schedules! Words can’t describe how much I love you all♡ Life’s a lot sometimes, and I hope y’all are doing well :) 
> 
> (No I’m not from the south and idk why I just said ‘y’all’ so much)
> 
> ||IG@sundance10_art||  
> ||Twitter:@letsgocrazy2020||


	41. Operation: Quiet Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens and yet nothing happens pt2 yay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little later in the day than normal!!
> 
> I almost didn’t post the chapter, but the majority voted on IG to post it anyways so here we are (*´-`) It isn’t at its final stage.. but I’ll edit it better later, I promise. I just wanted to stay on schedule gosh dang it (´θ｀)
> 
> Sorry it’s messy

_It’s not fair._

_What have I done to deserve this?_

It was too damn early in the morning (it wasn’t) and his head hurt way too much (it did) and Hinata was being stupid. 

Stupid as in being _fucking hot._

No matter how much time passed, Kageyama would never get over the way Hinata had grown and changed in Brazil. His skin held a slight, golden tint with freckles more pronounced than in highschool from the sun, and the way he went from being a little (but strong) stick to the muscled mass in front of him still left Kageyama speechless.

The reason why he was thinking these thoughts at 7:02am while drinking his morning glass of milk was because Hinata was being a little bastard.

Kageyama’s mouth fell open as Hinata stood on his tiptoes and reached for something on the shelf above the stove. His shirt rode up as he did so, and the exposed skin above the waistband of his underwear teased Kageyama, daring him to walk across the room and run his hands along it.

Living with the man you’re in love with who just so happens to be the most physically attractive individual in the world was the worst.

As Hinata settled down onto the flats of his feet, his ass jiggled gently at the movement and Kageyama bit his lip _hard_ . One thing he noticed was that no matter how toned Hinata got, he never lost that bit of softness, and he loved it so _fucking much._

Hinata hummed softly as he tried to open the jar that he had grabbed, and the dim morning sunlight reflecting off the countertops made his hair glow like the rest of him. 

Kageyama sipped his milk and couldn’t help his eyes from traveling down the other boys bare legs-

“You look constipated.” Hinata said, smirking at him from over his shoulder, a challenge hidden in his voice.

“Just thinking about the way you have to stand on tiptoes to reach… and that wasn’t even the top shelf.” 

Hinata stuck his tongue out at Kageyama and continued trying to open whatever the hell he had gotten down. Kageyama watched him struggle and rubbed gently at his sore temples.

His head was still fuzzy from the night before, albeit in a much more painful way, and for the first time in his life.. he wasn’t looking forward to practice that morning.

“We’re gonna be late.” He grumbled, wishing he hadn’t drunk as much as he did the night before. At least he remembered everything that had happened.. but part of him wished that he didn’t. Because now he couldn’t get the way Hinata had moved against him out of his mind and the feeling of that perfect ass pressed against his dick. 

Thinking about it too much was a mistake because one: he was worked up enough to begin with and it didn’t take much more for a certain part of himself to get _very_ excited.. But also because he couldn’t seem to shake the thought.. What if that was how Hinata always danced? Even if Kageyama wasn’t around. Is that just a normal thing and he shouldn’t feel the tight ball of jealousy inside whenever he thinks about it? Miya had asked Hinata if he wanted to go dance…. was that how they would’ve danced if Hinata had said yes?

Part of him knew that wasn’t true, and Kageyama could sense that Hinata treated him differently than anyone else, but a part of his brain still said _‘what if I’m reading this completely wrong?’_

_Stupid brain._

“What’s the matter?” Hinata asked, frowning in concern. 

“Headache.” Kageyama mumbled, finishing the rest of his milk and standing up, wincing as the loud scrape of the chair against the wood floor went instantly to his sensitive head.

“Did you take something for it?” 

Kageyama nodded as he brought his cup over to the sink, all too aware of Hinata’s smaller body beside his own. 

It had fit so perfectly against him. 

There were too many conflicting feelings going on inside of his head, and he wondered if the headache had less to do with the alcohol and more to do with actually thinking thoughts. 

He could feel Hinata’s eyes on him as he left the room, but he tried not to think about it too much as he grabbed his gym bag to get ready and leave. 

They normally walked together, but Kageyama left a little early that morning. 

~

As Kageyama expected, practice was a bitch that day. 

Everything was slightly out of focus, his body was sluggish, and his head hurt like hell. 

He attempted his best to not let his shortcomings show outwardly, but Hinata’s sharp eyes seemed to track every movement he made in that annoyingly (hot) intense way.

With Hinata’s gaze focusing on him for most of practice, Kageyama felt the loss of their attention extra strongly when practice was over and Hinata was across the court, talking to a few of their teammates. 

Kageyama’s head had been throbbing consistently throughout the day, and he was so damn tired. 

He wanted to go home. 

_Dumb Hinata and his dumb social butterflyness…._

_is that a word?_

He wasn’t sure, and Kageyama did know that he could leave if he wanted to.. but that morning walking alone had sucked, and he sort of missed his roommate/partner/love of his life. 

As if drawn by the magnet that Hinata is, Kageyama made his way across the court to stand close behind Hinata and rest his forehead on the small boy's shoulder, too tired to do anything else. 

Conversation sputtered to a stop around them for a brief pause. 

Ignoring the shift in atmosphere, Hinata reached up to tangle his hand in Kageyama’s hair and brightly continued the conversation, not even faltering at the interruption. 

Kageyama leaned heavily against him, grateful that Hinata wasn’t making a big deal out of it because _holy fuck_ did Kageyama need to be close to him, and he didn’t know what else to do. 

“Kageyama.. you good there?” Yaku asked.

“Mm” was all he could respond.

“He’s probably just tired out from last night.” Hinata laughed, leaning his back up against Kageyama’s chest.

“Okay but.. why’s he bein’ like that?” Miya asked in disbelief.. and okay yeah.. maybe Kageyama wasn’t as open with his need to be touching Hinata as he thought he normally was.

_Do I really not do this often??_

Kageyama raised his head to meet eyes with Miya, but before he could even answer, Hinata did the job for him by saying “Believe it or not, this is the side that grumpy-yama sometimes shows at home!” He nodded as if agreeing with himself and turned his head to smile blindingly bright at Kageyama. 

“Speaking of home,” He mumbled, stepping away from Hinata “Lets go.” 

Kageyama turned around abruptly, trying to hide his pink cheeks, and honestly.. he just wanted to get home. He didn’t look behind him to see if the other boy was following, but felt a small smile grow on his face as he heard Hinata's noisy footsteps squeaking against the floor behind him and equally loud voice as he shouted goodbye to the team as they entered the locker room together.

~

Hinata winced and dropped his gym bag to the floor of their apartment with a thud. 

Kageyama realized at that moment that it wasn’t the first time he had winced that day. He had been so focused on Hinata being focused on him that he forgot to _also_ be focusing on Hinata. Slip-ups like that normally didn’t happen with him, but he wasn’t about to blame it on the alcohol. He should’ve asked earlier in practice.

“Oi- dumbass” Kageyama began, walking behind Hinata into the living room. “What’s wrong with you?” 

_Smooth_

“Bwah!?” Hinata spun around. 

Kageyama gestured at his body in an attempt to redeem himself and explain. “Like.. did you get hurt?” 

Understanding dawned on Hinata’s face, and his eyes softened as they settled on studying the floor. “Something isn’t quite right.. but I think it’s okay.” 

Kageyama’s eyebrows rose. Hinata was always so careful with his condition because of that one time in highschool that it came as a shock to hear something was going on. 

“I think I just pulled a muscle in my shoulder. My whole right side feels.. off?” Hinata rubbed at his shoulder with his hand. 

“You should tell Coach.. and maybe get the muscle worked out with Ennoshita.” Kageyama settled on the couch and spread his legs as he rested against the armrest, thinking about how a pulled muscle could affect their upcoming practice game if not taken care of properly.

“I’ll go give him a call!” Hinata said cheerfully, never losing his bright smile that lit up the room as he walked away, phone in hand. 

A few minutes later, he re-entered the room with that same stupidly happy smile. “Turns out he’s busy today and fully booked tomorrow...” Hinata trailed off, gaze flicking down Kageyama’s body. His voice dropped a little deeper as he asked, “Wanna help me out?” 

_fuck yes_

Kageyama stared at Hinata 

“You know how to give massages don’t you?” Hinata teased, settling on his knees between Kageyama’s legs. “Although you _are_ an Olympic athlete, so maybe you don’t know how to because you have so many people to do that sort of thing for you.” 

“I know how.” Kageyama bit out, distracted by the other boy's position and sparkling brown eyes.

Looking at Hinata sitting so willingly between his legs made Kageyama stand up abruptly (which only made it worse to look down at Hinata) and he quickly left the room before his red cheeks were too noticeable.

Kageyama grabbed a couple things from their room and returned to find Hinata lying facedown on the floor, head resting on his arms and _very_ _much_ shirtless. 

Kageyama frowned at the confidence Hinata had that he would get his way, apparently not doubting that Kageyama would be back.

Heart shaky inside his chest, Kageyama settled on his knees beside Hinata’s bare back, focusing on opening the small container of lotion and not spilling it all over himself or Hinata. 

He took a deep breath to steel himself, and Kageyama gently ran his slick hands over the smaller pair of shoulders in front of him. 

Hinata jumped at the cold of the unwarmed lotion, but quickly relaxed against the soothing strokes of Kageyama’s hands. 

His skin was soft against Kageyama’s rough hands, and he marveled at the tight muscles below as he put more pressure into the stroking movements. A small breath passed Hinata’s lips at the feelings, and Kageyama’s dick twitched in interest at the hardly noticeable sound. 

_well shit.. that was fast_

“So.. did you tell Coach about this?” Kageyama asked, trying to make conversation and distract himself from the small sounds that were escaping Hinata’s mouth more frequently the deeper he worked into the muscle.

“Y-yeah, he said I shouldn’t push it.. that I’ve been- ohh right there- working hard in practice.” Hinata paused to bite his lip. “He said- ah we both have been.. and should take Monday off” 

Kageyama stilled his hands in surprise. “Really?” 

“Yeah” Hinata looked over his shoulder to frown at him. “Something about how we missed Ōgata Renkyū and should visit our families etc. etc.” he waved his hand for Kageyama to continue and rested his chin on his hands. 

Kageyama rolled his eyes before working on him again, purposely digging in harder than before. 

“Ahh!” Hinata moaned as he arched away from the pressure, and oh _fuck-_ that sounded like a sound he’d make not only during a back massage. 

Yeah.. Kageyama was in trouble. 

It didn’t help that Hinata’s back was a freakin work of art. He was just so damn _strong_. They were both professional athletes, but somehow his back went beyond muscled and toned and into the realms of a Greek sculpture. He was built smaller and leaner than Kageyama himself, and he loved the way his frame fit into his larger hands as he ran them down Hinata’s sides. 

Freckles were scattered across his rosy skin like they were painted on a canvas, and the way the dark waistband of his shorts contrasted the color of his skin was both beautiful and frustrating because he’d rather the shorts not be there at all. 

“Right there” Hinata groaned, and Kageyama found that he had to swallow down a groan of his own. 

They had showered after practice at the gym, and Hinata’s subtle orange scent that was always stronger afterwards wafted gently over him as he leaned in closer to get a better angle. 

“Ah! Kageyama!”

“Fuck, Hinata..” the words escaped his mouth before he could keep them in.

Hinata turned his head to look at him over his shoulder, and a teasing smile lit up his pink lips. 

This was one thing Kageyama had noticed since living together. He couldn’t put his finger on it….. but Hinata was competing against him in some way, and Kageyama _was not_ going to lose. 

He could sense it, and his instincts to win overpowered him as he quickly tried to school his face into one of passivity. 

Kageyama purposefully slid his hands down to Hinata’s hips and dug his fingers into the muscles there, smirking teasingly himself as Hinata cried out and arched his back slightly at the feeling, pushing his hips harder against Kageyama’s hand. 

_This is addicting .._

“Jerk.” Hinata huffed 

Kageyama responded by soothingly massaging the muscles below his hands, marveling at the way Hinata’s hips fit against his palms and said jokingly; “you're the jerk”

“What!?” Hinata tried to turn around, but Kageyama pressed him down against the floor to continue to ease the knots out of his muscles (and to keep his face out of Hinata’s annoyingly observant line of sight)

“You know what.” Kageyama felt like he couldn’t admit to what he was talking about or else he’d lose their competition.. but also he maybe didn’t care about losing at that moment as his eyes flicked down to Hinata’s ass so close to his hands. 

_Yeah_ .. _imma lose…_

A loud knock resounded from their front door and Kageyama jerked away from Hinata’s half naked body. 

Hinata sat upright and looked at Kageyama with wide eyes, arms crossing over his chest in mock shame at his current state of undress, but his eyes danced with the golden evening light pouring in through their windows. 

Kageyama sighed and stood to answer the door (since he was the most dressed of the two). It was probably just some package delivery anyways. 

Opening the door, he wasn’t expecting to see Ushijima and Bokuto standing on the other side. 

“What the hell-“

“Is that any way to greet your friends?!” Bokuto shoved his way past him with a clap on his back and exclaimed a loud greeting with Hinata before clapping a hand over his mouth when he saw the other boy. Hinata was hurriedly trying to get his shirt back on, but had his head stuck in an arm hole (idiot) 

“Did we .. interrupt something?” Bokuto asked, trying hard not to laugh.

“He has a sore muscle” Kageyama bit out “I was just trying to help work it out.”

Ushijima nodded approvingly, completely unfazed by Hinata’s lack of clothing and stepped past Kageyama. “I could help if you’d like, Hinata. I have experience with giving massages.” 

“That’s okay!!! Kageyama helped a lot” Hinata answered quickly as he shoved his head through the other armhole (moron).

Another knock sounded from the door behind Kageyama and he spun around in confusion at what was happening and let in a happy Hoshiumi.

“What are you doing here?” Kageyama asked as he closed the door behind him, thankful to see Hinata had _finally_ managed to get his shirt back on. 

“You don’t remember?” Hoshiumi asked, crossing the room and settling in comfortably on their couch and messing with Hinata’s hair in front of him. The two of them still had a strange rivalry, but they somehow had gotten close over the last year of being on the same team. 

_Bonded by shortness._

“You invited us over for take-out and a movie.” Ushijima explained, sitting on one of their chairs

“I did?” Kageyama’s head hurt from thinking. 

“Well.. Hinata did a few days ago..” Hoshiumi added.

“Oh yeah!!” Hinata laughed and the way he scrunched up his nose made Kageyama forgive him for not saying anything about it. “I completely forgot because we hung out last night and all that.. normally we don’t hang out so much!” 

“We should!!!” Bokuto shouted “imagine if we all lived in the same house.. It would be like back in training camp … only all the time!!” 

Hinata screamed in agreement and jumped up to smack hands in an exuberant high-five with the other man. 

Kageyama rubbed at his temples.

This was going to be a long night.

~

  
Kageyama ended up going to bed before the movie even finished. He was too tired to keep his eyes open, and his stomach was still feeling a little queasy from the night before. 

As he laid in bed listening to the loud comments and Hinata’s happy laughter from the other room, Kageyama thought about what Hinata had said about them being able to have Monday off. 

It was Saturday night, and they normally didn’t have a structured training session on Sunday in order to rest their bodies.

A thought struck him, and his eyes opened.

_Maybe we could go to Miyagi tomorrow?...._

Instead of getting up to ask Hinata in person, Kageyama reached across the disappointingly empty bed to grab his phone. 

‘ _Hey, idiot’_

 **Dumbass:** _‘for my dignity I’m not responding to thtΣ(-᷅_-᷄๑)’_

_‘You just did’_

**Dumbass:** _‘shut up yama!!!!( *｀ω´)’_

 **Dumbass:** ‘ _if u have the energy to be this rude why arn’t u out here?????|(￣3￣)|’_

Kageyama smiled at his phone and decided to just get right to it. 

‘ _Wanna go to Miyagi tomorrow?’_

There was a brief pause, and Kageyama wondered if Hinata maybe was trying to think of how to politely say no when he heard a crashing sound before light spilled into the room as the bedroom door was ripped open. 

“Yes!”

Kageyama squinted at the light but could make out Hinata’s silhouette holding the door open before he closed it behind him and crossed the room to the bed. Hinata jumped next to Kageyama, giggling at the way he disrupted him with the movement. 

“For real though? Tomorrow?” Hinata asked, voice filled with excitement. 

“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Kageyama was working very hard to not let any of his gross feelings show on his face. 

“That would be awesome!!” Hinata bounced up and down, jiggling Kageyama even further on the mattress. “We could stay until Tuesday morning and get back in time for the practice game!! This is so great!” Hinata dove on top of Kageyama and wrapped his arms around him, laughing as he did. 

Kageyama’s arms wrapped around Hinata on reflex, holding him close against his chest. 

Trying not to be too obvious, he let out a small breath of relief as he felt the familiar weight of Hinata on top of him. He missed the feeling because last night he had passed out too fast to appreciate cuddling with Hinata like he did every other night. 

But too soon, Hinata pulled away and beamed at him, lighting up the dark room in his own way. 

“I better go entertain our company since you’re such a bad host. I gotta pull your dead weight around here.” He gently poked Kageyama in the arm before swinging his legs off the bed. 

“Tell them to leave already.” Kageyama joked, _mostly_ not serious.

Hinata laughed and nodded as he left the room, shooting Kageyama one last smile and a peace sign before closing the door.

~

Maybe Hinata took Kageyama’s advice to kick them out after all because it wasn’t much later before he was sneaking back into the room, quieter than before. 

Through the darkness, Kageyama watched as he pulled off his shirt and moved to take his pants off and closed his eyes out of respect for the other boys privacy (not that they hadn’t seen each other naked.. but still.. it was the principal of the matter)

He heard ruffling clothes as Hinata finished getting changed and padded his way quietly over to their bed. Kageyama kept his eyes closed, but not by choice… he was so damn tired they didn’t want to open back up.

Hinata scooted close to him, and Kageyama used what remaining willpower he had to also scoot closer until their legs and foreheads were pressed together.

As he drifted off into the land of sleep against his will, he took in the feeling of Hinata’s warm body and gentle breathing beside him. 

_I fuckin love this.._

.｡~☆~｡.

Thanks to modern technology (and Kageyama being rich as heck) the two of them were able to take the Shinkansen to Miyagi the next morning.

It was a quiet trip that they spent listening to music with shared headphones like they did on bus rides to their highschool games. 

Hinata was a comforting, warm presence at his side, and Kageyama found himself nodding off, ultimately succumbing to his heavy eyelids and fell asleep with his head against the soft, fluffy hair. 

He liked the way it was cut short to be more “professional” and “adultish” (“Yes, Bakayama it’s a real word!”) but secretly he missed the way it curled around his ears and the nape of his neck in their third year of high-school. 

Maybe he’d grow it out again.. eventually….

Kageyama started awake with a hard elbow to the side and blinked away visions of soft orange curls as he opened his eyes to see that they had arrived.

Following the crowds of people heading towards the exit gates, Kageyama breathed in the familiar Sendai station smell of delicious ekiben and various zunda stands. 

_It’s been so long…_

Kageyama remembered how huge the station seemed when he was a child with his grandpa, and even as a highschool student. After living in Tokyo, he realized he may have been wrong to think that it was the busiest place _ever…_

The two of them navigated their way to the familiar underground train area where they found a train heading towards their hometown. 

The rails rattled beneath the train as buildings and landscape passed by in a blur of grey and green.  
  


~

A crow cawed in the distance when they stepped off the train at their familiar station, and Hinata inhaled loudly at his side. 

“Uwaaaahhh smells like home!!”

“The fuck does that even mean.. it smells like air” Kageyama smirked and headed towards the exit, but he knew exactly what Hinata meant. The subtle scent around them _was_ familiar, the people’s faces didn’t blur together the way they seemed to in Tokyo and everything seemed … brighter? 

_Weird.. was it like this before and I never noticed?_

“Wahhhhh” Hinata spun in a circle as they stepped out onto the street, joy lighting up his features and eyes crinkling in happiness.

“It’s nice.” Kageyama breathed out, looking at Hinata look at the town 

Brown eyes met his own, and Kageyama’s breath caught as the sun danced within them, turning them into pools of honey that softened his expression while making it more intense all at the same time. 

“What is?” 

“Being back.” 

_-With you_

“Yeah.. it really is. I missed it!” Hinata looked away, but reached out to grab his hand, intertwining his small fingers with Kageyama’s as he pulled him down the sidewalk he had walked many times alone before.

~

They walked together hand in hand by their school and told stories about the dumb things the other had done (Hinata had done _way_ more) and Kageyama only yelled a little when the runt got the facts wrong in the story. 

The walk from the school to Kageyama’s was one he could have done with his eyes closed, and he hardly had to focus where his feet were taking him as he watched the way Hinata took in the familiar cosmos flowers growing on the side of the street. 

A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, and Kageyama thought back to the days when he’d ruffle Hinata’s hair roughly as an excuse to touch the other boy. 

For old times sake, when they reached Kageyama’s house and prepared to part ways, he reached out and gripped Hinata’s head in his hand. 

“Bwah what the heck!!” Hinata grabbed his wrist and tried to pry his hand away. “You know I’m not a kid anymore and _will_ go bald if you do that!!”

“Your fans would be so sad if you went bald.” Kageyama huffed, dropping his hand to his side and watched Hinata smooth out his hair. 

“I wouldn’t get any sponsorship offers, and then I’d be broke. Good thing I have you to pay for me~” Hinata skipped gleefully away out of Kageyama’s reach when he tried to grab the front of his shirt.

“Dumbass.” 

Hinata smiled at him, and to Kageyama’s surprise, stepped into his space to wrap his arms quickly around his waist in a brief hug. Before Kageyama could process the fact that the other boy had done the exact same thing in that very same place years ago, Hinata was already gone and waving goodbye, that bright smile the final blow to Kageyama’s mind. 

It was hard watching him leave to visit his own family, and Kageyama wanted to have held onto him for a little while longer.  
  


~

Being home didn’t feel _too_ different than it had during highschool.

Although one difference was that his mom took a short work day for once so that she could eat dinner with him at home and spend some time talking in the evening. 

That for sure was a change from highschool. 

He skillfully avoided the questions she directed his way about the “roommate situation” with Hinata, just like he had been doing within his own mind. 

It was good to see his mom again, but to be honest, Kageyama hadn’t missed home at all. He found out quickly that there was something he missed .. and it wasn’t what he had expected.

It became glaringly obvious once he was trying to sleep that night...

It was so _damn quiet,_ and he hated it. 

Was his room always this silent in highschool? Kageyama couldn’t remember. 

He even found himself missing that dumb nightlight Hinata insisted on having plugged into the wall (which he’d never admit to). 

He tried hugging a pillow close against his chest, but it was cold and ended up making him feel even more lonely than before.

_What the fuck.. why am I feeling like this??_

Kageyama rubbed his eyes in frustration. They had returned to living together for not even two weeks, and he was somehow this dependent on the other boy already?? He had gone _months_ without him. 

It didn’t make sense, but Kageyama had a feeling that the fact that they were only half an hour away from each other combined with the fact that they had slept together every night for nearly the whole time they’d been back in Japan made a difference. 

_Can a habit form in less than two weeks?.... hm. maybe a habit could form by doing something once if you like it enough._

Kageyama thought that sounded scientifically accurate, and sighed in frustration into the quiet room. He was so used to hearing someone else’s breath besides his own, and he was even used to getting the random fist to the eye socket from Hinata’s flailing arms (he can’t sit still.. even while asleep) 

As the time slowly passed, Kageyama did his best to deny the fact that he couldn’t sleep alone when it felt like he shouldn’t have to (they were in the same town for crying out loud).. and to deny the fact that he wanted a nightlight. 

He sighed loudly to break the silence and stared at the wall for the millionth hour. Kageyama could swear that time passed differently at night, and he tossed and turned for what seemed like an eternity that he would never get out of. 

It had been awhile since he had such a bad night, and he contemplates texting or calling Hinata for the billionth time. 

Unfortunately.. common sense kept him from pulling up his contact information on his phone because it was 3:27am, and there was no chance Hinata would answer. He could make it a few more hours.

Despite the room being quiet, his mind was so _loud_. Every thought seemed magnified, and Kageyama realized with a start that Hinata always seemed to quiet his mind down. Which didn’t make sense because he was loud as fuck, but somehow Kageyama’s mind seemed to respond to that.

_We’re so close to each other I could be at his house in- no. Kageyama stop. You’re an adult_

He turned abruptly to his other side in his small bed and pulled his soft covers up over his face. 

_Just a few more hours._

He could make it. He had before, and he would have to again..

Kageyama forced his eyes closed and willed his breaths to slow and even out. He focused intently on nothing and did his best to not think about how cold the empty spot of bed felt next to him or how he would wake up without a bright “good morning grumpy-yama!!!” 

_Nope. No thoughts_

_No thoughts._

Kageyama _might_ have gotten a little sleep that night..

.. but maybe not. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happened in this chapter but to reference something from the beginning: no, Hinata does not dance like that with anyone else 
> 
> ~
> 
> Kags may be rich enough to casually buy Shinkansen tickets but doesn’t have AirPods so that he and Hinata can sit close and share his earbuds instead aw 
> 
> ~
> 
> I fr can’t believe I even mostly finished this chapter in time oof I’m exhausted and so excited to sleep rn wow but I’m even more exited to wake up and read your comments!! :) 
> 
> ||IG@sundance10_art||  
> ||Twitter@letsgocrazy2020||


	42. Operation: Fall Deeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EMOTIONS (fluffy fluff fluff to apologize for my little hiatus)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyoneeeee guess who’s back!!! :)

Hinata felt like crap

He was pretty sure that he got less sleep the night before than the average human could function on, but he was doing his best to pretend otherwise.

“-Onii-chan, you look like crap.”

He was doing great.

“Thanks, Natsu. I really appreciate it.”

Hinata sipped at his third cup of green tea that morning and glared at his little sister and contemplated his place in the universe. 

“Did you even sleep??” She asked, refilling his cup.

“Yes” 

_no._

He couldn’t help it, okay?? It was weird being home, and it was weird being alone when Kageyama was only a bike ride away. Hinata should have just freakin biked to his house “for exercise” or something, but he had kept telling himself that “he would fall asleep any minute.” Hinata had laid there in vain, telling himself _I’ll fall asleep in 5 minutes._

“I hope you aren’t too tired for your plans today-“ Hinata’s mom began from across the kitchen, studying him in concern.

“-yeah!! You promised to watch me play and take me out for meat buns!!!” Natsu put her hands on her hips. 

“Don’t yell!” Hinata yelled “I’m not too tired!!” 

~

He was too tired. 

He ended up falling asleep for a few minutes (not that he’d ever tell Natsu) during her team's practice match. He felt bad because it really was one of the most exciting things ever to see his little sister play the game he loved so much. It was her final year of highschool, and Hinata couldn’t be more proud of her….. even if his eyes were closed. 

He also nearly fell asleep while signing whatever the heck the girls on Natsu's team wanted him to sign.. posters, shoes, a pillow (?) Hinata was used to it, and he knew that Natsu couldn’t help having such a cool older brother and all that. 

“Okay okay!! That’s enough for now! I told you I’d introduce him to you.. I never promised you’d get autographs.” Natsu scrunched up her nose and shook her head, ushering a waving Hinata out of the gym who was shouting back “nice to meet you’s!” to the girls whose names he couldn’t remember. 

“I can’t believe how much your autograph has improved.” She laughed as she shouldered her bag as they walked down the steps together. “I remember you and Kageyama practicing it over and over again in your room.” 

Hinata smiled fondly as he remembered the nights years ago when the two of them would sit on his floor and try to come up with the better autograph (Hinata won). Kageyama’s always sucked, and it was a good choice for him to use the one Suga-senpai made for him. 

Natsu and Hinata walked down the sidewalk, and he shoved his hands deep into his pockets.. It was weird to be back at Karasuno (without Kageyama). 

His sister's team was in a different gym than he had used during his years in high-school.. but the nostalgia was heavy on his heart nonetheless. 

He wished Kageyama was there too. 

~

Hinata especially felt his loss when he and Natsu entered Sakanoshita Shop, years of getting pork buns with Kageyama burned vividly into his memory, and he found himself looking up expecting to see the same grumpy face at his side, only to be disappointed with the absence of it.

The door closing behind them had Hinata’s mind returning to reality, and he breathed in the comforting smell of the shop that he’d spent so much time at during his highschool years. 

He had been hoping coach Ukai was working that day, and he felt his smile grow as he saw the familiar broad build of the man who had been so influential on his life. 

“You look more like your grandpa!!” Hinata shouted in excitement as the man spun around, and Natsu nearly fell over laughing at the expression on his face. 

“What did you just say!?” Coach Ukai yelled back, but Hinata could see that familiar happy look in his eyes (despite the yelling).

They had kept in contact throughout the years Hinata had been away, but it was so different seeing him in person, and Hinata grasped his hand as they exchanged more appropriate greetings. 

“I figured you wouldn’t be far behind.. Kageyama left just a little while ago.”

Hinata’s stomach jumped at the mention of his name, and he tried to keep the obvious smile off of his face as he asked; “Oh yeah? I’m glad he found time to stop by.. I know he had a lot of things on his to do list today.”

“His ‘to do’ list..” Ukai said as he nodded “..yeah we definitely talked about that.” He quickly turned away, but Hinata thought he saw a small smile at the corner of his mouth, and was about to ask him about it when the gleam of a ring on the man's hand caught his eye. 

Much happy screaming and jumping followed on Hinata’s part (that Natsu joined in on even though she had already congratulated Ukai on his marriage). 

Hinata was just so dang happy!!! He had placed bets in his second year of highschool that Takeda-San and Ukai were gonna get married.. and Tanaka still owed him 1,000¥. He had heard about the wedding, but seeing the ring in person was a whole new level of uwaahhh feelings.

As he and Natsu walked out of the store, bellies full of pork buns and hearts happy, Hinata smiled thinking about the joy he could see in Ukai’s eyes.

_Must be nice.._

~

Hinata wondered for the millionth time how Kageyama was doing as he helped his mom prepare dinner for the family later that evening.

A few members of Hinata’s extended family were expected to arrive any minute, excited to see him for the first time in a long while. He peeled potatoes for his curry and thought about how Kageyama was also about to suffer through a family get-together of his own (according to his dry texts).

“So Shouyou..” his mom began, and he dropped the potato in the sink. “You know I always try to respect your private life…..”

 _Oh no_. 

“But do you have anything to share about a certain someone in your life?”

“What?? Absolutely not.” Hinata shook his head, panicking at the thought of trying to explain the whole “seduce Kageyama” to his mom. 

Her eyebrows rose and Hinata looked behind him to see both his father's eyebrows _and_ Natsu’s eyebrows raised high. 

Silence hung heavily between all four of them, broken only by the aggressive sounds of Hinata peeling his potato faster than he’d ever peeled before.

“We all know you’ve been texting Tobio all day.” Natsu pointed out bluntly. 

His mom laughed at his side, and Hinata kept his mouth shut, knowing that Natsu was sort of right.. but still surprised that she knew there was something happening there. That was one topic that he’d carefully avoided with her during every phone call and the very rare reunions.

The sound of the doorbell saved Hinata the trouble of explaining, and two seconds later he was out of the room to welcome his family and leave the awkward conversations behind him. 

(He was asked by well-meaning family members if he had “girlfriend yet” three times that night… so much for avoiding awkward conversations)

~

“Come onnnn just tell meee.” Natsu whined, sitting cross legged on Hinata’s bed, the soft sound of their family still talking in the next room providing a backdrop to the silence Hinata was trying to uphold. “I already know, you already know. Just admit it already.”

“What about you, Natsu, are you madly in love with anyone?” Hinata deflected. 

“Don’t even try and do that, Shouyou.”

_Worth a shot.._

Hinata flopped backwards and spread his arms out wide, sighing loudly as he did so. “Okay fine-”

he admitted, “yes it’s Kageyama, you’re right, and it’s totally obvious, only apparently not to him, and he’s just so stupid.”

He quickly looked up at Natsu, only to see a smug smirk on her face as she hugged her knees to her chest, squirming in excitement. “I knew it!!”

“You’re okay with that?” Hinata asked, not sure what he meant whether it was ‘you’re okay with me liking a boy?’ or ‘you’re okay with me liking your childhood crush?’ 

“Of course!!” Natsu’s eyes shone in happiness.

Hinata realized that it had been a _long_ time ago since his mother told him that Natsu had a little crush.. she had practically been a baby then!!! Baby crushes didn’t count for anything!! 

A lightness settled in his chest as he took in the sight of Natsu’s shining eyes and bright smile that reminded him of his own smile he saw every day in mirrors and photos. He hadn’t realized how similar the two of them were before, both in looks and personality, and he ruffled her hair fondly, thankful that he had her approval. 

_Approval of what? Liking Kageyama? Dating Kageyama? Marrying Kageyama?_

The brief mental image of Kageyama in a wedding dress popped into his mind and he clapped a hand over his mouth to keep in the burst of giggles that threatened to spill out. 

“I’m glad you’re happy, Onii-Chan.” Natsu said, the sincerity in her eyes causing Hinata to straighten his shoulders and smile at her. 

“I am really happy.” _Just being by his side._

_Wow, I miss him._

Hinata pulled out his phone from his pocket, rolling his eyes as he read the text Kageyama had sent responding to some long text Hinata had sent about a funny thing that had happened during dinner. 

**Bakageyama** : _‘nice’_

“He’s an idiot though.” Hinata told Natsu as he sighed and rubbed his forehead, contemplating how to respond to such a lame text. 

However, another text soon sprang onto the screen, and Hinata’s heart jumped. 

**Bakageyama:** _‘wish u could be here. Aunt Yui is going off again.’_

Hinata’s heart jumped again and he read the message twice before unconsciously mumbling “-But he’s a perfect idiot.” 

Laughing, Natsu threw a pillow at his head, mumbling something about him being the idiot, but Hinata wasn’t really listening. 

_Finally…_

_an interesting text._

~

The bright neon letters of Hinata’s childhood clock seared their way into the back of his eyeballs

1:06am 

The clock seemed to laugh at him as he watched it switch to 1:07, ticking away as if it couldn’t care less that he was having a crisis. 

_I’ve been exhausted all day you stupid body.. just.. sleep already???_

The more he tried to force his body to sleep, the more he noticed the nervous energy coursing through his veins that made him want to _move_ . There was no way it was going to go away (it hadn’t the night before) so Hinata was determined to _do_ something about it. 

Without looking back to see the empty bed behind him, Hinata jumped up as quietly as possible to put on his shoes. He made his way through the familiar rooms of his home and didn’t even have to think about where he was going as he pushed past his front door.

Hinata sucked in a deep breath of the crisp night air, instantly feeling better as the fresh air coursed through his body, and a gentle breeze ruffled his hair as if it was happy to see him as well.

He broke into a slow jog, and his feet created a rhythm that matched his beating heart as he ran down the empty road, thankful that the moon was nearly full so that he could admire the beautiful scenery around him that he had missed so much. 

Running at night was something he hadn’t done in awhile.. but he wasn’t unfamiliar to it. 

While in Brazil, Hinata found himself doing it a lot instead of sleeping… and maybe he couldn’t sleep for the same reason. 

_Should I text him?_ The normally non-existent cautious side of his mind asked. 

_Do it._ The normal side of his mind supplied. 

Hinata slowed to a stop as he reached the park near his house, breathing steadily and smirking as he realized he hadn’t even broken a sweat to get there as he reached for his phone. 

The feeling of disappointment stabbed through him as he felt his empty pocket, and he rolled his eyes and remembered he had forgotten to grab it off of his dresser before he left. 

Sighing to himself, Hinata shook his head and walked over to the swings that had gotten him through many a crisis before. 

The silent hush of the wind through the dark trees was a little more ominous than he ever remembered as a kid, but it was comforting nonetheless, and he closed his eyes and enjoyed the rare silence. No traffic.. no people.. only him and the spooky woods and less spooky stars.

The same restless feeling began to grow beneath his skin that he was trying so hard to fight down, and he realized with a start what it meant..And as quietly as the night air around him, a thought entered his mind:

_I couldn’t live without him._

The trees laughed in response, and the grass moved beneath his feet from the invisible wind. 

The thought should scare him. Honestly he should be freaking out about that realization, right? But he felt so full of peace in that moment that all he could do was lean back and feel the gentle breeze against his skin and the happy leaping of his heart within his chest.

“What are you, 5 years old?” A voice broke into the night behind Hinata, and his heart jumped even more at the familiar teasing voice. “Who even swings anymore?” 

Hinata whipped his head around and gripped the chains of the swing tightly as he saw Kageyama walking up to him, a hand shoved in his pocket and a volleyball under his arm. 

“Hey” Hinata breathed out, jumping to his feet and ignoring the fact that he was literally just compared to a child.

“Hey..” Kageyama came to a stop in front of him, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. 

Hinata’s breath was sucked away at the sight of dark hair rustling in the breeze and moonlight glancing off of everything it could touch, bending and refracting as if it knew exactly how good it looked on Kageyama. The other boy seemed made for the night, and blue eyes that mirrored the stars above studied Hinata’s face before dropping down to follow the movement of Hinata’s hands as he reached out to grab the volleyball that was tucked under his arm. 

“We’ve done this so many times, haven’t we?” Hinata asked, smiling at the thought of how awkward they had been in highschool. 

“You used to suck real bad at this.” Kageyama laughed as they effortlessly passed it back and forth, years of training evident in the way he moved to receive each ball Hinata sent his way.

“Now look how much I’ve improved.” Hinata said, trying to keep a teasing tone in his voice, but inwardly he was begging Kageyama to acknowledge the fact that he was a completely new and improved person.

“You have.” Kageyama said firmly, locking eyes with him in a way that made Hinata wish that they weren’t so dang far apart “but you’re sloppy tonight.”

Hinata rolled his eyes and sent the ball back with even more force, working on his control because he knew the other boy was right “I’m a little tired, okay?”

He expected Kageyama to tease him, to tell him that he could see that... but silence hung between them in the night air. 

“I’m tired too.” He finally responded. 

The cool breeze brushed against Hinata’s bare arms as he caught the ball in one hand, palming it in the way that he had always wished he could as he studied Kageyama’s face. 

“You can come to my place.. if you’d like.” Hinata offered quietly.

“It _is_ closer..” Kageyama trailed off, already moving to pick up his discarded jacket. He put it on (much to Hinata’s disappointment) and without looking back to see if Hinata was following, headed down the familiar route. 

Of course Hinata was following.

~

Hinata’s whole body hummed with excitement as they approached the front door. There was tension between them that he couldn’t be imagining, and he had no idea what to expect once they were in his house-

The door swung open to reveal the kitchen light on and Natsu looked up in surprise as her hand froze as it was bringing up a spoon of cereal into her wide open mouth. 

_Well that’s definitely not what I expected-_

“Hwuh…” Hinata mumbled in surprise, eyes wide at the sight of his sister up in the middle of the night (which never used to happen).

Natsu never took her wide eyes off of the two of them and continued slowly eating her cereal, not saying a word. 

Kageyama nodded briefly as they walked past the kitchen, but silence remained and they quietly entered Hinata’s room.

_2am is an alternate reality.._

Kageyama broke the silence with a “that was weird as fuck,” and Hinata could do nothing but nod. 

Settling into their familiar routine, the two of them wordlessly crawled into Hinata’s bed, not saying anything more about the incident in the kitchen. Like always, Hinata moved to the wall side of the bed (so that he’d be safer in case a murder or monster attacked). 

Surprisingly, Kageyama was the first to reach out and pull Hinata to himself. Hinata didn’t waste any time and snuggled against his warm body, sighing in comfort and draping an arm around Kageyama's waist and shoved his nose against his chest as he sighed in contentment. 

The restless feeling inside of his body slowly melted away into nothingness, and he felt tears prick the corners of his eyes in happiness. “I missed this.” He quietly told Kageyama. 

“It was.. one night, dumbass.” He grumbled back, but Hinata could tell in the way that he held him extra tight and had his face buried in Hinata’s hair that he had missed him too. 

“Are you saying you slept fine?” Hinata asked teasingly, knowing full well that even though the other boy was beautiful in the moonlight, he also lowkey looked like death incarnate with dark eye bags and slightly messy hair (still not a bad look).

Silence answered Hinata’s question, and he snickered quietly against Kageyama’s broad chest. 

“You don’t look so good yourself.” Kageyama muttered against him quietly.

“Shut up” Hinata whispered fondly as he listened to the steady beat of the heart beneath his ear. 

Silence fell, and Hinata was too scared to look up at the dark blue eyes that he could feel trained on him..

If he did, he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold back from pressing his lips against Kageyama’s. His heart leapt inside of him at the thought, and the longer silence hung between them, the harder it was to not do just that. 

And he knew it wouldn’t stop with just a kiss..

_Natsu is in the other room- Natsu would hear what was happening- Natsu would know- Ah crap I need to think of something else- Uhhh laundry left in the wash, burnt toast, forgot my keys, late to a meeting-_

Hinata continued to try and think of the least sexy things possible, and found his eyelids growing heavy in the process. 

_I should’ve tried this last night.._

But Hinata knew that it wasn’t the unsexy thoughts that were putting him to sleep…. it was the strong arms wrapped around his waist and the rhythmic breathing in and out of the person who always brought him peace. 

_I can’t live without him._

Hinata’s eyes shot open as he remembered the thought he had had earlier and its implications.

_I.. love him._

_What the heck_

“Bwah” 

Kageyama breathed out a small laugh and Hinata’s head bobbed with the movement from his chest. “What, idiot?” Kageyama asked, his voice low and rough with sleep that was threatening to take him too. 

“Just… thinking about how much we’ve changed from highschool.” Hinata answered carefully, giving a mostly true statement. 

“Hmm.. Yeah.” Kageyama mumbled. “You were a little twig back then.”

“Bwah I was not!” Hinata gasped, raising his head in outrage to see Kageyama’s face, even though he realized the other boy was kinda right. 

Kageyama was watching him with eyes barely open, a small smile on his lips.

Everything that Hinata was about to say left his mind, and he could only stare stupidly at the perfect face in front of him.

“You were. But you aren’t now..” Kageyama trailed off as his eyes flicked down Hinata's body fast enough that he wondered if he had imagined if. Even so, heat flared inside of Hinata’s stomach, and he found himself cursing Natsu and cursing thin walls and cursing family homes-

“We have both changed a lot.” Kageyama said, surprising Hinata with his sincerity. “But a lot of things are still the same too..”

He was right. 

When Hinata looked at him in the soft light of his orange nightlight, he saw the same boy that he had met on the opposite side of the court all those years ago. He still saw that fire for victory burning deep inside those blue eyes… and was still just as captivated by it. More so, as he learned more and more about him; deep things (like how he fears others leaving him the most).. and little things( like the way he always drinks his tea with just a little bit of sugar.. not that he would admit it to anyone else). 

Those same blue eyes had slowly drifted closed, but his hand moved on its own as it slowly stroked backwards through Hinata’s hair. Smiling to himself, Hinata returned his head to lay on Kageyama, looking up at the soft glow in the dark stars that were still stuck to the ceiling. They reminded Hinata of all the times the two of them had laid beneath them, trying to find faces and arranging them to make the stupidest constellations they could imagine. 

As Hinata looked at the stars shaped like a bean, his mind once again returned to the realization that there was nothing else he wanted more than life with the boy at his side. 

They’d given nearly everything to each other over the years- but it wasn’t enough. Hinata knew deep down that it wasn’t the time to confess his love or anything, not yet, but there was something he’d wanted to do for a long time.

Breathing in deeply and forming the word with his lips before he said it, testing it out, Hinata closed his eyes and held his breath..

“Tobio” 

The word was a barely there whisper, quieter than the two of them had ever known Hinata could be, but Kageyama’s eyes flew open as if he had yelled the word. 

Hinata felt Kageyama shift below him, and he hurried to ask, “Is that okay? To call you that?” searching his wide eyes that shone like the fake stars above them. 

“Yes” Kageyama breathed out roughly “can I..?” 

He trailed off, but Hinata knew what he meant and nodded, ready.

Kageyama’s eyes flicked around his face as he swallowed before opening his mouth to whisper a quiet “Shouyou.” 

Hinata was used to being called by his first name. Lots of people called him by it.. It wasn’t special. 

… It was _so heartbreakingly special._

Hinata couldn’t stop the wide grin that appeared on his face anymore than he could stop himself from falling even further into that stupid little thing called love. 

He wanted to ask him to say it again… to repeat it over and over again.. but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever let Kageyama ever stop, so he kept his mouth closed. Hinata settled instead for squeezing the other boy's chest and pressing his smile against his neck. 

He couldn’t believe it had taken them this long to call each other by their first names like this… but to be fair he realized that Kageyama was _Kageyama_ to him. That was who he had met in middle-school, and that was who he befriended in highschool, and that was who he had inevitably fallen in love with.

_Tobio still is the cutest name ever though.._

It might take some getting used to, but Hinata knew that for them.. this was something that had been a long time coming, and he loved every second of it.

“Goodnight, Tobio.” He whispered happily as his eyes won the battle of trying to close in exhaustion.

Hinata thought that Kageyama must have already fallen asleep, because the only thing he heard besides the gentle rhythm of his breathing was silence.. but after a moment, in that soft voice that rarely made an appearance; there was a whispered; “goodnight, Shouyou.”

Hinata wanted to somehow put that moment in the stars of his ceiling forever. 

(It would, after all, look better than a bean) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so so much for your patience with me!!! Life is insanely busy, but I hope that the fluff this chapter helped make up for my disappearance at least a little bit ♡
> 
> WE’RE SO CLOSE TO THE END AHHHH I can’t promise when the next chapter will be out... but just know that it will be out eventually because I love this fic, and I love you all, and I want to make you guys smile :) 
> 
> Let me know what you enjoyed in this chapter and also.. how are you all doing?? It’s been so long and I miss connecting with each and every one of you :( 
> 
> If you want to get ahold of me or check out art from this fic:  
> IG:@sundance10_art  
> Twitter:@letsgocrazy2020
> 
> You all are the absolute best, and I can’t wait to wake up to see your reactions!! ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪


	43. Operation: kiss kiss kiss kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Um.... finally ? ......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all this chapter is definitely not my best work but !! I’m finally posting something yay!!!

“That was the most awkward thing I’ve ever experienced in my short little life.” Hinata moaned dramatically, sitting heavily down on one of the train’s benches. 

“What was?” Kageyama asked, genuinely confused.

“Uhhh the fact that I completely forgot that some of my family stayed the night?? And the fact that they all, my parents included, watch you-“ he waved his hands around animatedly “-come out of my room???” Hinata slapped his hands over his eyes and sunk lower into the seat.

Now that Kageyama thought about it… that was pretty fucking awkward. 

“Oh.. well they didn’t say anything about it” 

Hinata sighed dramatically and stared out the window at the passing scenery. “I didn’t think they were all going to be up to say goodbye… it’s  _ so early.” _ To prove his point, he yawned widely and leaned his head against Kageyama’s shoulder and closed his eyes, frowning slightly.

To be fair, it was pretty damn early. 

The sun was rising over the familiar mountains in the distance, and it painted the inside of the train a warm hue that  _ almost _ matched Hinata’s hair. 

Kageyama was torn between watching the way the beams shone between the clouds in the sky and how they danced happily across the freckles on Hinata’s cheeks, but the low hum of the train and the rattling of the rails combined with the early start that morning (not to mention the late night..) had Kageyama drifting off against his will. As much as he wanted to keep his eyes open to see the way the morning sun would make Hinata glow ever brighter, the two little traitors closed on their own accord, and the last thing he remembered was the warmth inside his chest that mirrored the warmth pressed against his side.

  
  


.｡~☆~｡.

  
  


Having taken an extra day off, it took Hinata and Kageyama a little longer than normal to get warmed up. 

A team they hadn’t played yet was coming to play a practice match in a few hours, and excitement hummed through Kageyama’s bones. It had been so long since he and Hinata had played a game together, and his heart-rate was definitely too fast to be blamed on warm up stretches (Although with Hinata stretching in front of him maybe it made sense….) 

He knew the routine well: warm up.. do some drills.. water break .. more drills … it was monotonous in the best way possible, and Kageyama lost himself in the familiarity of it all. The squeaking of shoes against the floor was familiar in his ears- and Hinata’s laughter rang out from somewhere across the room. 

Knowing what kind of face goes along with that kind of laughter, Kageyama turned his head to watch with a smile on his own face. 

The smile quickly fell, however, as he saw that Miya had his arm around Hinata’s shoulder, (which was normal, to be fair)… but he could never fully fight down that ball of uncomfortable feelings that rose in his throat whenever he saw how touchy Miya was with Hinata. 

_ You don’t own him, you idiot.  _

Kageyama forced himself to look away and tried to force the feeling inside of him and stared at the ball in his hands to focus on other things.

Even though his eyes may have obeyed him, his ears definitely did not, and he couldn’t help but hear Miya ask, “Do you want to get dinner later? There’s this new place I went to this weekend and it has  _ the best _ curry” 

_ Curry is my favorite..  _

Before he could hear Hinata’s response, Kageyama turned around and made his way to their locker room, needing to get away from listening and watching what was unfolding in front of his eyes. He closed the door behind him and braced his hands on one of the lockers as he felt his brain do that unhelpful thing: think. 

_ What if Hinata says yes? What exactly was Miya asking? Hinata wouldn’t.. and even if he would, he’s allowed to.. But he wouldn’t say yes to him- would he? _

The small measure of uncertainty inside of his heart wouldn’t go away no matter how much he tried to make it. 

“What’re you doing in here?” A familiar voice asked from behind him, the door opening quietly. “They’re gonna be here soon, and we should be ready if we wanna kick their butts.” Hinata said with laughter in his voice. 

Kageyama turned around and tried his best to school his face into a familiar scowl, but he could tell by Hinata’s expression that he wasn’t buying it. 

“What is it?” Hinata asked, concerned 

Kageyama shook his head and started walking past Hinata to the door, but a small yet strong hand reached out to grab his arm before he made it. 

“I think I know what it is…” Hinata trailed off, waiting for Kageyama to respond. 

“Then what is it?” Kageyama challenged, unable to say what  _ it _ was out loud. He looked into Hinata's eyes and started as he was met with determination burning deep inside of them. 

Silence settled between them, and Kageyama’s chest tightened at how Hinata stared at him. It felt like he was being analyzed in that same way the smaller boy analyzed the court, and a small shiver traveled down his spine.

“Is it about who was just talking to me?” Hinata’s eyebrow rose, and a small, almost unnoticeable, smile danced along his lips. 

The smile was what made Kageyama comfortable enough to mumble, “He always asks you to do stuff with him, and he touches you when he doesn’t need to..” 

The more Kageyama thought about it, the more upset he felt. A lot of small things had built up inside of him, and Hinata’s gaze threatened to have all those things spilling out. Kageyama continued; “He seems to be like that around you the most….. and why does he still call you  _ his _ spiker when you’re my spiker too?? And now he’s asking you out to dinner??” Kageyama exhaled deeply and looked away, blinking his eyes. 

Hinata calmly studied him, and waited until he was done speaking before opening his mouth to ask quietly “so... what’re you gonna do about it, Tobio?” 

_ ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ _

Kageyama’s gaze snapped sharply back to Hinata’s, and the words rang sweetly in his ears again and again. He knew for a fact that he wasn’t missing that gleam in Hinata’s eyes that said ‘ _ I dare you’.  _

That familiar look had egged him on for  _ years.  _

_ What  _ am _ I going to do about it? _

It was too tempting, and the blood roaring in his ears made it nearly impossible to think. He couldn’t stop his feet from moving, and Kageyama found himself towering over Hinata who stared up at him through his eyelashes, completely unafraid. In fact, he seemed to encourage him with his own intensity and tilted his head to the side coyly. 

Tangling his fingers into Hinata’s soft hair, Kageyama tilted his head back to get a better view of his face.

Kageyama’s eyes darted down to Hinata’s lips, and an embarrassing sound almost escaped him as Hinata slowly licked along his bottom lip, daring Kageyama to have a taste-

“Hey are you two- Oh!” 

_ Shit- _

Kageyama now had one more reason to be upset with Miya- He was interrupting what was possibly about to be the best moment of Kageyama’s life!.. 

Right?

_ Did Hinata want all that? What if I was misreading that because of how I’m feeling right now?.. _

Kageyama quickly took a step back from Hinata, purposely not looking at his face and hoped that he wasn’t too upset about Kageyama getting into his space like that. 

Warm fingers intertwined with his own, but Kageyama still didn’t meet his eyes. 

“The team just got here, Coach said to come get you two..” Miya trailed off, eyes flicking down to their hands clasped together.

“We’re coming” Hinata breathed out in a shaky voice, and Kageyama nodded instead of speaking because he knew his voice would be just as shaky.

Hinata pulled them through the door behind Miya, and Kageyama did his best to focus on the game they were about to play and not the way Hinata’s smaller hand was warm inside of his own.

Hinata looked back at him, and excitement danced inside of his honey brown eyes. Was it because of the game they were about to play or was it from the way Kageyama had touched him? 

He couldn’t tell.. 

_ Fuck you for being so damn bad at reading people.  _ Kageyama told himself angrily. 

Either way, the air hummed between them as they walked onto the court, and Hinata didn’t let go of his hand until he absolutely had to. 

Kageyama fucking loved holding that hand. 

——

HINATA'S POV 

——

He could feel an intense gaze burning into his back, and Hinata wondered if the gears inside of Kageyama’s little mind were working overtime.

_ He was about to kiss me. He was about to kiss me. He was about to kiss me!! _

The words looped inside of Hinata’s own little mind, and he couldn’t help the giddy grin that lit up his face or the nerves that were dancing inside of his stomach. All the tension of the past however many years was building up inside of him, and he tried so hard to ignore the excitement that settled heavily in him.

The hands of the people on the other team clasping his own in greeting before the game began were cold in comparison to the hand he had been holding just minutes prior (the one that he wanted to hold again and never let go).

He shook his head as the whistle blew loudly, knowing he was close to getting beaned in the head like he was a first year in high-school again. 

Focusing was hard sometimes..

Hinata was entranced by watching the way Kageyama’s talented hands set the ball wherever he wanted on the court. He was one of the best setters in the nation (probably THE best setter) and Hinata felt the pull towards his greatness in the same way the ocean is pulled towards the moon. Hinata felt the muscles in his own legs straining in the best way possible as he rose to new heights, knowing he couldn’t (wouldn’t) be left in his setters shadow. 

Hinata could tell that they were playing a game all of their own within that volleyball game.. and realized that wasn’t a new thing for them. It was just on a whole ‘nother level that day.

He could feel it in the way Kageyama studied him even more intensely than he studied the court. Their eyes kept meeting, and it never failed to make Hinata’s heart jump up into his throat every time. Their hands lingered just a beat too long on their high-five on a good play, and Hinata’s heart was hammering loudly in his chest from the simple touch. 

There had been tension building between them for  _ years _ , but what had happened in the locker room crossed a line that they hadn’t crossed before.. On top of that, it had been  _ so long  _ since they’d played together, and wow had Hinata missed it. 

He missed  _ his _ setter.

~

The game was close, but they were soon only one point away from claiming the victory that the two of them craved so deeply. 

Hinata  _ knew _ that the ball would come to him, and leapt and swung with no doubt in his mind that the ball would be there on time. 

Kageyama never disappointed him. 

The ball hit the center of his palm, and before he could blink, it had hit the court of the opposing team, inches away from their outstretched hands. The silent second before the whistle blew was deafening, but Hinata hardly heard the sound when it finally came. The feeling of connection between him and Kageyama in that final set stole the breath from his lungs, and he smiled broadly as he stood up straight.

Kageyama was  _ his, _ and he was Kageyama’s. 

With that thought in mind, Hinata whirled around to see Kageyama smiling at him in that unreserved “we totally kicked their assess” way, and he _couldn’t stand it_ _anymore_!!! 

Ignoring the world around him, Hinata leapt onto Kageyama, wrapping his legs tightly around his waist. He had a brief flashback to their first year at nationals as he moved to crash their lips together-

Only this time.. Kageyama met him halfway. 

There was a loud roaring sound in Hinata’s ears as he felt soft lips pressed hard against his own, and the sound only intensified as he felt Kageyama’s fingers that he had just been appreciating in the game run through his hair and tangle in the short curls. 

_ Is this real is this real oh my god I’m finally kissing him??- _

Hinata pulled back to make sure it was actually happening, only to see Kageyama scowl at him and pull his head back until their lips connected harshly once again before he eased into a slow kiss so filled with gentleness that Hinata wanted to cry. 

He couldn’t help the bubble of joy bursting inside of his lungs and giggled against Kageyama’s lips before pulling away once more. The unhappy sound that Kageyama made at the separation echoed in his own mind, and he was amazed that he was actually able to stop kissing the boy in front of him.. 

It was an effort to look away, but he checked quickly to see that the rest of the team was busy slapping each other on the back and smiling broadly at their win, too focused on each other to pay much attention to Hinata and Kageyama. 

Hinata pressed another quick kiss to Kageyama’s mouth before whispering “later” just for the two of them to hear. 

“Promise?” Kageyama asked, his hold tightening on Hinata as if he was scared he’d disappear.

“I promise.” 

Kageyama nodded and loosened his arms enough that Hinata could jump to the ground, and they were soon swarmed with their enthusiastic teammates. Hinata wasn’t sure if the cheering and the back slapping was because the two of them had won them the match or if it was because they sort of just kissed in front of everyone !!! 

Hinata’s knees were weak, and he held tightly onto Kageyama’s hand, knowing that he wasn’t  _ ever _ going to let go. 

~

He ended up having to let go..

It turned out that you couldn’t change out of your jersey while still holding someone’s hand which was just plain stupid if you asked Hinata. 

They showered quickly at the gym with the rest of their team, purposefully ignoring each other to the best of their ability, but it wasn’t long before they were dressed (both of them pink cheeked despite trying not to look as they changed). 

“Ready to go home?” Kageyama asked quietly, even though Hinata was obviously ready. 

“Yeah” he answered anyways.

Hinata was _so_ ready to go home and pulled Kageyama along behind him, the smile never fading from his face.

_ So freakin ready.. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is how many times they kissed this chapter heh
> 
> WOW GUYS WE MADE IT! I’m sorry this chapter wasn’t the best, I’ll probably come back and edit it later... but I wanted to post something because wowowow I miss you all♡
> 
> GOOD NEWS: I actually have the next chapter 100% written (have had it for a LONG time) and will post it next Sunday just like old times .... (spoiler: they have the sex :o) 
> 
> (I’m not posting it now because:
> 
> A. I need a little bit of time to write the last chapter (it’ll just be a short fluffy epilogue though)
> 
> B. Suspense hehehehe)
> 
> Anyways I love you all so much, and I hope this chapter will tie you over until next week!!! :) 
> 
> IG: @sundance10_art  
> Twitter: @letsgocrazy2020


	44. Operation: fuk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5500+ words of smut.... you’re welcome

Kageyama’s heart hammered in his chest as they quietly made their way down the empty apartment hall. 

Their shoes made no sound on the soft carpet, and the two of them didn’t do anything to break the silence. Kageyama’s hands were clenched stiffly at his side, and it took all of his restraint to not shove Hinata up against the wall and have him right then and there. The whispered promise of “later” was ringing continuously in his ears. 

_Is right now later enough?_

Hinata was walking quickly a few steps in front of Kageyema, and he stared intently at the way his round ass moved as he walked.

_Do I get to touch it now? Whenever I want? How does this even work? ….._

He tried to settle with just staring more openly than he’d ever allowed himself to before, and he didn’t jerk his eyes away like normal when Hinata looked back at him. Seeing Kageyama obviously check him out caused a small smirk to grow on Hinata’s pink lips. He turned back around and walked even quicker than before, and Kageyama’s eyes continued to drift down his body, noticing the way Hinata’s legs were trembling slightly. 

You could’ve heard a pin drop as they reached their door, both standing still for a brief pause, and Kageyama exhaled slowly. 

Without warning, Hinata spun around and tugged Kageyama down by his collar, mashing their mouths together one more time before pulling away and humming happily to himself as he reached for the keys. 

_He can’t just… do something so perfect like that_

Kageyama grabbed Hinata’s wrist, stopping its movement, and as the smaller boy looked up at him with wide eyes, Kageyama roughly captured his mouth with his own. 

Inhaling sharply through his nose in surprise before sighing against him, Hinata pulled his hand out of his grip, only to run both of them through Kageyama’s dark hair and tug roughly at the soft strands. 

The feeling sent jolts of pleasure down his whole body, and Kageyama growled into his mouth, causing Hinata’s lips to part and inviting his tongue in (which Kageyama gladly obliged to). 

As Kageyama licked into him, Hinata keened at the feeling of their tongues wrestling each other in (unsurprisingly) no less of a fight for dominance than what was normal between them. 

Kageyama could feel Hinata’s legs wobble slightly from where his hands rested at his sides. 

Without breaking their kiss, Kageyama wrapped his hands around Hinata’s thighs, just below that perfect ass, and roughly lifted him up. He was met with much enthusiasm as his spiker quickly wrapped his legs around his waist and moaned into his mouth, arching his body against him before gasping at the feeling of friction between them and gripped his hair between his fingers hard enough to hurt. 

Without caring that they were still in the hallway and anyone could come around that corner, Kageyama rolled his hips against Hinata as he pressed him against their door, focused only on making more of those addicting sounds spill from the other boys lips.

“F-fuck, Kageyama.” Hinata moaned open mouthed against him before throwing his head back to rest against the door. 

Kageyama’s heart skipped a beat, either at the view of Hinata lost in pleasure as he screwed his eyes shut and rutted his hips against Kageyama, mouth swollen and wet from kissing, or the fact that that was the first time he’d ever heard Hinata swear.

“Y-you- I didn’t.. know-“ he paused to groan as Hinata tightened his thighs around his waist “-didn’t know you knew that word” he huffed out a small laugh. 

“You- wha??” Hinata’s eyes shot open in challenge, and he bit his lip before breathily retorting “I learned it from you, idiot. Now shut up and fuck me already, will you?”

Kageyama cursed and his hips moved on their own accord, pressing Hinata even harder against the door. He realized he was about level with Hinata’s exposed neck, and taking advantage of the newfound closeness, licked a long streak up it, reveling in the way Hinata’s whole body shuddered. 

_I’m the one making him feel that way._

At the thought, Kageyama roughly bit into the soft flesh where Hinata’s neck met his shoulder, and Hinata nearly screamed in pleasure. 

It was at that moment, Kageyama realized….

“H-Hinata we need to get inside-

“Y-Yes get inside me” Hinata moaned, reaching to unbutton Kageyama’s pants. 

“Idiot. I mean inside the apartment-“ he gasped at the feeling of a small hand ripping open the button on his pants, brushing up against where Kageyama was _aching_ to be touched. Hinata’s hips had stopped rutting against him during his fumbling attempt to get his zipper down, only managing to get it down an inch, and any soft touch had Kageyama seeing stars.

“Fuck-“

“Please” Hinata’s eyes met his own, and Kageyama felt like coming just by the way Hinata was looking at him with full, unabashed desire; pupils blown wide beneath hooded eyelids, swollen lips parted as rapid breaths puffed out between them.

 _Fuck._ His brain repeated, unsure if he could ever think another thought again. 

“Keys” he managed to mumble, eyes glued to Hinata’s mouth .. a mouth that had been moving but Kageyama had _no_ idea what had been said.

“W-what?”

Hinata smiled coyly, lowering his eyelashes further as he leaned up to whisper in Kageyama’s ear, “in my back pocket.”

All thoughts left Kageyama’s brain before it was quickly overloaded with _too many_ thoughts.

Was he just… allowed to reach for the keys? Was that an invitation? Was he just allowed to grope Hinata’s ass?? 

Maybe the answer was obvious considering he had just had his tongue down the other man's throat, but he couldn’t help overthink it. 

Giggling softly, Hinata reached around to where Kageyama had been holding onto his waist and wrapped his hand around Kageyama’s wrist, guiding him down until his hand was resting gently on one clothed cheek. 

Kageyama groaned as his other hand slid down to the other one, gripping them tightly in his hands and roughly massaging the considerable amount of muscles beneath his palms. Despite feeling how incredibly strong Hinata was, Kageyama was shocked at how soft and pliant he was at the same time. 

Hinata grabbed his face in his hands, once again cramming their mouths together and moaned at the feeling of Kageyama’s hands on him. Hinata’s thighs were trembling (which wasn’t surprising because besides the door, he was doing most of the work to hold himself up).

Kageyama felt the lump of their apartment key in Hinata’s pocket and finally dug it out, doing his best to not break their messy kiss while he tried to find the keyhole without looking. 

It didn’t work.

He pulled away, and Hinata whined at the loss of contact but was soon distracted with rocking his hips against Kageyama’s and running his hands over his broad shoulders.

Doing his best to focus on the task at hand, Kageyama managed to unlock the door and open it, stumbling forward now that Hinata’s weight wasn’t supported by the door. 

_Fuck he’s put on a lot of muscle._

Kageyama had just enough time to close the door behind them before Hinata smoothly jumped off of him and immediately dropped to his knees in front of him. 

His gut clenched at the sight in excitement, and Kageyama asked breathlessly “W-what are you doing, dumbass?”

Hinata looked up at him, and Kageyema forgot how to breathe as he caught sight of that scarily determined face the other boy sometimes got, heart racing in his chest to have it directed towards him. 

“Something I’ve wanted to do for a _very_ very long time.” Hinata said clearly before placing his hands on either one of Kageyama’s hips and dragging his zipper down the rest of the way with his teeth. 

_Oh FUCK-_

Hinata breathed hotly against his clothed erection that was already causing a damp patch on the front of his boxers, and paused. Eyes darting up to Kageyama’s blue one, he asked “is this okay?”

_Is this okay’??? Is he serious?? This is very very okay!_

Kageyama’s heart squeezed at the question, thankful for the other boy’s kindness as he nodded his head quickly, not trusting his voice.

Hinata gave a brief smile before also nodding his head and reaching out to press a wet, open mouthed kiss against Kageyama’s dick through his boxers. 

“AH!” Kageyema cried out at the feeling, head slamming back against the door as his hands tangled in Hinata’s orange curls. 

Hinata pulled back to watch his face, smiling wickedly at his reaction and tugged Kageyama’s pants down, his boxers soon following. 

As Kageyama’s dick sprang free, it bobbed mere inches away from Hinata’s face, the smaller man’s eyes running all along its length as he gazed in clear fascination. Gently reaching his hand to curl around the base, he looked up sharply as Kageyama groaned at the feeling. 

Hinata leaned in to press a kiss against the underside, near the base where his hand was wrapped, and Kageyama squished his eyes closed tightly, afraid of the intense tugging sensation in his gut and what it meant. 

He saw stars as Hinata ran his tongue along his shaft, and his vision threatened to disappear altogether as his pink lips wrapped around the tip. 

He’d wanted this so badly for _so long._

“ _Shit-_ ” Kageyama’s hands tightened roughly in his hair and Hinata moaned lewdly around him at the feeling. The vibrations sent tremors through Kageyama’s body and his legs began to shake. 

How many times had he imagined this feeling?

Hollowing his cheeks, Hinata moved his way down the length of Kageyama, inch by impossible inch until he was met with his hand wrapped around the base. 

Kageyama just had time to think, _curse him and his no gag reflex,_ before his mind blanked and his hips snapped forward into the wet heat of Hinata’s throat. 

Choking slightly at the size of him, Hinata closed his eyes as tears gathered in the corners of them, desperate to take all that Kageyama could give and moved his head up and down along his cock. 

“ _Fuck-_ Like that.” Kageyama groaned, watching himself appear and disappear into Hinata’s mouth, doing his best not to move his hips without knowing how the other boy would like it. Hinata wasn’t experienced and was a little sloppy as drool ran down his chin, but like many other things in life.. he made up for all his inexperience with pure enthusiasm. 

Kageyama just had enough brain cells left working to think: _I should- tell him I love him-_

But white noise took over, and he couldn’t get his mouth to form words. 

They had always been better at communicating physically anyways..

Moaning around him, Hinafa bobbed his head rapidly and smoothed his tongue along the thick vein that ran along the underside of his length. Kageyama’s breath hitched at the sight and overwhelming feeling of it all and knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he finished. It was the most overwhelming feeling, having had fantasized about this for the past however many years

What almost did him in was watching Hinata’s expression. He was in complete ecstasy just having Kageyama’s cock in his mouth, cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink and eyes nearly rolled back in his head, sighing in contentment as Kageyama’s hips snapped forward on their own accord. As much as he would’ve loved to come all over those flushed, freckled cheeks (or down Hinata’s throat), Kageyama wasn’t ready for it to be over just yet. 

“H-Hinata wait-“ he gripped his red hair tightly and pulled him off of his dick with a wet sounding pop that almost made him want to shove Hinata’s face back onto him. “-I was too close.”

Hinata stuck out his lower lip, and his swollen red lips accented his pout in such a way that stole the breath right out of Kageyama’s lungs. Seeing his upset face, Kageyama breathed out “I want to finish in you.” and tugged Hinata gently up until they were standing chest to chest.

Hinata’s eyelashes fluttered briefly “then get inside of me already,” he whispered challengingly before capturing Kageyama’s lips once again and nibbling at his lower lip

Kageyama placed his hands along Hinata’s jaw and tilted his head up to deepen their kiss. He still couldn’t get over the fact that he was allowed to do this. Allowed to run his tongue along Hinata’s lip, and allowed to lick hotly into his mouth. 

Hinata _melted_ against him, and Kageyama shivered as Hinata’s hands ran up his back beneath his shirt, separating briefly only to tug said shirt off before frantically reconnecting once again. 

Kageyama pushed Hinata backwards towards their room by his hips, following him along without separating as he roughly undid the button on Hinata’s pants and stepped out of his own pants that had pooled around his ankles.

It wasn’t fair that he was fully naked and Hinata was still clothed. Not fair at all.

Tugging Hinata’s shirt off roughly and tossing it who knows where, Kageyama pushed him the rest of the way into the room and down onto the bed, smiling to himself at the way Hinata bounced once before coming to rest on his elbows, biting his lip as his eyes tracked up and down Kageyama’s body. 

“Kageyama… you’re so perfect it’s almost annoying, you know that?” He said as he gasped for breath. 

Kageyama ignored the way his heart fluttered at the compliment (that was a compliment, right?) and chose instead to tug Hinata’s pants down his legs, fingertips trailing over his thighs on the way down. 

Hinata’s legs spread open, and he looked up at Kageyama through his eyelashes, mouth parted slightly. The soft street light outside the window competed with the glowing of the setting sun to illuminate Hinata’s skin and cause his eyes to glow an unearthly shade of warmth.

_Damn.. is this even real??_

Kageyama was terrified he was about to wake up and it would all be a dream, so he reached out and roughly pinched the sensitive skin on the inside of Hinata’s thigh.

The smaller boy threw his head back and gasped before asking “wh-why??”

“I thought I was dreaming.” Kageyama said matter-of-factly 

“Y-you’re supposed to pinch yourself, you idiot!!” Hinata started to laugh but was cut off by another groan as Kageyama dove down to bite the soft skin of his thighs where he had pinched him. 

He fucking _loved_ Hinata’s thighs and laved his tongue over them before roughly biting and sucking on the sensitive flesh. 

Above him, Hinata was a moaning mess as he cried out each time Kageyama bit him, hands tangling in soft black hair as he alternated between spreading himself wide and nearly crushing Kageyama’s head with his strong thighs (what a way to go).

He’d never have his fill, but the aching weight of his own erection between his legs caused Kageyama to sit back on his heels, hands still on Hinata’s thighs as he admired the marks left there and asked “do we.. have stuff to do this?”

Hinata _finally_ had the nerve to look a little shy as he nodded and mumbled something about checking underneath the notebook in his dresser drawer. He paused and studied Kageyama’s face before asking, “are you sure about this? We can wait if it feels too fast.” 

_Too fast??_

_Too. FAST??_

“Shou, I’ve been wanting this for so long.”

Hinata blushed and asked quietly, “how long?”

Kageyama wanted to roll his eyes and flick the other boy’s forehead. It was almost embarrassing how long he’d liked him and never done anything about it besides pine from a distance and jerk off to the thought of him. “Remember back in highschool when you asked how boys did it? Well I wanted to just fuck it and ask ‘want me to show you?’”

Hinata threw his head back and laughed before looking at him, his eyes sparkling and face full of joy as he asked, “that long?”

“Longer” Kageyama whispered 

Hinata’s breath hitched and his eyes widened, silent for only a second before saying in a low voice that was driving Kageyama _crazy_ “well then hurry up and show me how boys do it.” 

Unable to speak, Kageyama nodded before standing on wobbly legs and stumbling to the dresser, turning around and smirking as Hinata’s eyes darted back up to his own, mouth parted and eyes glossy. 

_He was totally just checking me out. Pfft-_

All rational thought was cut off as Hinata turned over onto his knees and arched his back prettily, exposing his supple ass to Kageyama. He peeked shyly over his shoulder, and was it possible to come just from looking at something? Kageyama wasn’t sure, but he hurriedly made his way back to the bed, kneeling behind Hinata to run is hands over the roundness in front of him, swearing as he pulled his cheeks apart and saw Hinata’s small, pink hole. 

_How the hell am I supposed to fit in there?..._

Hinata groaned at the feeling, and arched further back against him, begging to be filled. 

Kageyama had never been good at not giving him what he wanted, and popped open the cap before slicking up his fingers. 

He paused.. all of a sudden unsure about what to do and scared it wouldn’t live up to what Hinata wanted. 

Sensing his hesitation, Hinata quickly looked back at him and mumbled a teasing “you just gonna stare or are you gonna put those talented hands to good use?” 

The competitive edge in his voice made Kageyama’s brow furrow as he pressed a finger to Hinata’s entrance, watching as it slipped past the ring of muscle and into the warm heat just up until the first knuckle. Hinata cried out at the feeling, body tensing as he gripped the sheets below him and _was that a good thing or a bad thing??_

It must have been okay because the smaller man pushed back, taking in his finger halfway and whining quietly at the feeling. Kageyama ever so slowly worked his way to two fingers, curling them inside of Hinata, fixiated on the way his legs jerked and trembled whenever he hit a spot just right. 

Three fingers was pushing it, and Hinata gave a quick gasp of discomfort, asking Kageyama to take it slower as he adjusted. 

Kageyama chose to use the opportunity to reach around and stroke his hand along Hinata’s dick, smiling as he felt him shudder and relax around his fingers at the distraction. He should’ve tried that sooner. 

Soon, Hinata was able to take all three fingers, rocking his hips back against Kageyama’s hand and moaning lewdly at the feeling of being stretched open. A bit of drool hung from the corner of his mouth as he reached back with his hand and gripped Kageyama’s wrist. 

“I-I’m ready” 

“Are you sure?” Kageyama wasn’t sure. He remembered back in highschool when he had told Hinata this was how boys did it, and had been met with much protest of “there’s no way it would fit!” At the time he had been confident that it would… But now he didn’t know. Kageyama knew he wasn't exactly on the small end of things, and somehow it didn’t make sense that even with the preparation Hinata would be able to take it.

What if he hurt him real bad and they couldn’t play volleyball for a long time??

_What would I tell Coach??? Oh no he’s gonna kill me.._

“Put it in.” Hinata breathed out in determination, running his hand up Kageyama’s forearm before gasping at the feeling of the fingers leaving him, burying his face into the pillow in frustration. “Tobio, please“

That was all it took, and Kageyama gripped his hips tightly with trembling hands before flipping Hinata around easily. 

At the brief puzzled look that flashed across Hinata’s face, Kageyama explained quietly while looking away, “just wanted to see your dumb face.”

“Your face is dumber.” Hinata said, smiling fondly.

Kageyama glared at him and grabbed the condom that Hinata also had stashed in his drawer. Looking up as Hinata grabbed his wrist and mumbled “actually- I was wondering if we could maybe not use that…” 

Kageyama’s mouth parted in surprise. Seeing his face, Hinata quickly rambled on “I mean! We’ve both been tested during our physical and are clean, and I’ve never even been with anyone before, and I just really want you to cum inside of me-“ 

Kageyama roughly cut him off by lunging down to press their mouths together, effectively cutting Hinata off and why had he never done that before??? Perfect way to get him to stop talking. 

He pulled back and looked into Hinata’s eyes, searching for any lingering doubts about what they were about to do but was met only with wanting. Wanting for _him_

He still couldn’t believe it. 

He rested his hand gently against the side of Hinata’s face, and because some things never change, roughly squeezed his cheeks, making Hinata’s lips puff out and mumble a sound of protest that was quickly cut off when Kageyama pulled his hand away and guided himself up against his entrance. 

He tried so hard to keep his eyes open when he first entered Hinata, but spots kept flashing in his vision at the incredibly overwhelming feeling. 

Kageyama took it slow as Hinata hissed in pain, legs trembling from where they were locked around Kageyama’s waist, and they both gasped deeply when he bottomed out, hips flush against Hinata’s ass. 

“Oh _fuck_.” Hinata breathed out. 

“Tha-That’s my line.” Kageyama growled into his ear before looking into Hinata’s eyes for an answer to his unspoken question. 

Hinata read him easily the way he always could on the court, and after a pause to close his eyes and breath in deeply, he nodded his head. 

Kageyama slowly eased backward until he nearly pulled out, before gently pressing back in. His legs were trembling in effort to not snap his hips forward into the intense heat surrounding him. 

_‘Oh fuck’ is right_

“You aren’t- hah” Hinata moaned and met his eyes with a small smirk playing on the edge of his open mouth “You aren’t gonna break me you know.” 

The look in his eyes told Kageyama ‘I can take anything you give me. Just like I always have and always will.’

Kageyama dove down to roughly suck on his neck as he _finally_ rocked his hips faster, and Hinata cried out and roughly scraped at his back. He hardly felt the pain as his body was so overwhelmed with pleasure, bracing his arms on either side of Hinata’s head as he pressed into him again and again and again, loving the way Hinata’s whole body moved in time to his thrusts.

Every moan and gasp that fell from Hinata’s swollen mouth egged Kageyama on, and he pounded into Hinata at a relentless pace, groaning into his ear as Hinata arched below him.

“I want..” Hinata gasped, “to be.” He moaned, “on top!”

“Dumbass.. hah.. I get to be so shut. up.”

Hinata moaned lewdly into his ear “want.. Ohhh.. to ride you” 

Kageyamas hips faltered, and he bit into Hinatas neck to stop an embarrassing sound from escaping his lips. 

Hinata used Kageyama's distraction (and his own beautiful, strong thighs) to flip their positions so that he was the one on top. Getting used to the new position, he moved his hips in slow circles as he ran his hands over Kageyama's muscular chest that was heaving with each breath he took.

“Damn.. Hinata..” Kageyama moved his hands over Hinata’s thick thighs, the muscles in them twitching with their need to move. “I fucking love these,” he rasped, giving them an extra squeeze for good measure. “did you know that?” 

Hinata’s mouth parted in a silent moan, and Kageyama felt him shudder at the words. His pace picked up, and Kageyama squeezed his thighs even harder, hoping he’d leave hand prints to marvel at when they were done. 

Kageyama looked up along Hinata’s body and almost came at the sight. He needed to close his eyes or this would be over too soon (there was no way he was cumming before that idiot did) but he couldn’t look away. Hinata was mesmerizing. 

The smaller man had leaned back to brace his hands on Kageyama's thighs to gain leverage as he began bouncing and grinding his hips in earnest. He was an athlete, and the grace in which he fucked himself on Kageyama’s cock was breathtaking to watch. His whole body glowed, freckles on display against flushed skin that Kageyama ached to taste again. Hinata’s chest heaved with deep breaths and filthy moans that Kageyama couldn’t get enough of.

A bead of sweat ran down the column of his throat where it pooled in his collar bone, but as much as Kageyama wanted to lean up to lick at it, his whole body felt numb.

Especially when he took in the sight of Hinata's face. 

Kageyama’s mouth fell open and he heard a groan escape his lips as he saw how deeply lost in pleasure Hinata was. 

“Hah... Kageyamaaa.. ohhhh you- feel so good” 

His eyes were scrunched closed, and his cheeks were flushed a deep shade of red. His skin glistened in the soft orange glow of the setting sun, and he was the most beautiful thing Kageyama had ever seen. 

“Y-you’re beautiful, Shouyou.” Kageyama whispered.

Hinata’s eyes shot open and his gaze burned into Kageyama as he slowed his hips to a slow roll. Kageyama couldn’t help but groan at the lack of movement, and his hips shot upward on their own accord, chasing that pleasure.

“Do you mean it?” Hinata whispered back, staring at him in awe. 

“Fuck.. _yes_ ” Kageyama slowly stroked his hands up Hinata’s thighs, the skin so soft below his finger tips. His hips ground up into Hinata again, and they both moaned. He needed more. 

Kageyama sat up and wrapped his arms around Hinata before flipping them again.

“Uwaahh no fair!” Hinata whined 

“Next time” Kageyama managed to growl before pulling out just long enough to place Hinata’s legs over his shoulders. He kissed the inside of his knee just before he slammed back inside of Hinata and began wrecking the smaller man below him. 

Hinata screamed in pleasure, and he tried desperately to hold onto whatever he could. His fingers tangled in the sheets near his head before raking angry red lines down Kageyamas arms and chest. Kageyama groaned at the feeling and fucked Hinata even harder, folding him in half as he pressed him into the mattress. 

“I’m .. I’m gonna..” Hinata gasped and arched his back, Kageyama’s name a scream on his lips as his body locked up and ropes of cum shot in between them. His whole body was trembling, and he squeezed tightly around Kageyama. 

It was too much.

Waves of pleasure ripped through Kageyama, and he groaned open-mouthed as his hips jerked roughly a few times before he spilled deep inside Hinata. It was a million times better than he expected it to be, and his orgasm wracked his whole body in a way he didn’t know was possible. It felt endless, and he saw stars before his vision went completely black. 

When he came to, he realized he was laying on top of Hinata as the smaller man played gently with his hair. He quickly pushed himself up on trembling arms, for fear of squashing the little runt to death. 

Hinata’s cum was still warm against his stomach, so he knew he hadn’t been out for too long (thankfully). 

Hinatas eyes were sparkling with mischief, and Kageyama knew exactly what he was about to say.

“Shut up” Kageyama mumbled 

“You totally just blacked out, didn’t you??” Hinatas voice was raspy from screaming and god, that was so hot. 

“Shut up, dumbass!!” 

“Bwahaha!!! I can’t believe it!”

“You moron, I’ve been wanting to do that for like.. a million years can you blame me?!”

Hinata beamed brightly at him, squishing his eyes closed and wrinkling his nose as he unleashed the full force of his happiness upon a hopelessly in-love victim. 

Kageyama’s pulse was still beating rapidly inside of his chest, and he noticed the way Hinata breathed in and out with a sheen of sweat across his brow. Which meant it couldn’t have been _too_ long that Kageyama was out.. A few seconds at best.

With his blown out pupils, swollen lips, hickies strewn along his body, and messy hair (messier than normal) Hinata looked _thoroughly_ sexed, and Kageyama couldn’t help his smug grin as his eyes raked up and down Hinata’s body. He leaned down and kissed the tip of his freckled nose before moving to his mouth and gently pressing their lips together. Hinata's hands moved up his back, and he shuddered at the touch. 

It was all so overwhelming. He still couldn’t believe after what they had done that he was allowed to kiss Hinata whenever he wanted. It felt unreal.. too good to be true. 

“Ugh, we’re all sticky and gross.” Hinata mumbled, wrinkling his nose.

Okay that part was definitely feeling real. 

“Yeah, let’s go get cleaned up.

Kageyama realized he was still inside Hinata, and they both hissed as he pulled out as gently as possible. He watched his cum slowly leak out of Hinata’s hole, and felt his dick twitch in interest.

Hinata must have noticed because he giggled in a way that sounded slightly diabolical and told him “You’re a monster.” 

“And you aren’t?”

“Once more in the shower??” Hinata asked cheerfully and _fuck-_ what had Kageyama gotten himself into.

“Hell yeah.”

(He wasn’t complaining)

~

Later.. 

Much later.. 

Hinata was snoozing peacefully in his arms wearing Kageyama’s shirt. He normally snagged his oversized clothes (little bastard), but this time.. it felt different.

Maybe it was the numerous angry red and purple marks that Kageyama had bit and sucked into his skin that peeked out from above the collar and below the hem on his thighs.. or maybe it was the fact that it was the same shirt that he had ripped off of Kageyama’s back a few hours prior before screwing his brains out. 

Yeah.. something about it just screamed “boyfriend shirt,” and Kageyama couldn’t stop smiling.

He ran his hands through the soft curls that rested against his chest, and he inhaled the same citrus scent that had comforted him and driven him crazy for years- 

“Oh shit- I forgot.”

He roughly shook Hinata’s shoulder, and as soon as he saw the beautiful brown of his eyes he gasped out “I fucking love you, dumbass.” 

“Wh-whaaaa??” 

He watched the change spread across Hinata’s face, briefly confused and sleepy before morphing into one of awe as his lips parted and eyes widened. 

“I forgot to say it earlier even though I was thinking it, and I just wanted you to know..” Kageyama mumbled quickly.

A slow, impossibly radiant smile lit up Hinata’s face, and he leaned up to peck Kageyama on the lips and say softly “I f- fu- heckin love you too, you big idiot. I think I got the idea though, even without you saying it.”

“Really?” 

Hinata’s eyebrows rose “yeah.. but it’s nice to hear. Say it again? Now that I’m a little more awake?”

The words were ripped out of Kageyama from somewhere deep inside of him, “I love you.” 

Hinata kissed him slowly “again.” 

Kageyama could never say no to him and whispered the words against his soft lips “I love you, Shouyou.”

He felt the other’s smile against his mouth, and he pulled back to see an expression so heartbreakingly peaceful that he carded his fingers through Hinata’s hair and pulled his head down against his own bare chest.

Hinata giggled against him and settled into a comfy position as he breathed out a heavy sigh of happiness that mirrored the feelings bubbling up inside of Kageyama. 

He almost couldn’t believe that after all the waiting and pining.. they were finally here. And he knew that he wouldn’t have changed anything about how it had happened (even knowing that Hinata had wanted him almost as long as he had) Being there with him at that moment felt like the rightest thing in the world, and as he stroked the soft skin that he was now allowed to touch, Kageyama was truly experiencing the happiest moment in his life. 

It felt like his whole being clicked into place.

“I really do love you.” Hinata mumbled quietly against him, and Kageyama could feel against his chest the small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. 

In answer, Kageyama leaned down to kiss the top of Hinata’s head reverently, inhaling the citrus kids shampoo scent that always reminded him of warm summer nights, volleyball beneath hazy orange skies, and a brilliant smile that could light up the darkest of nights. 

Hinata Shouyou had brought radiant, unending joy into his life, and he was wholeheartedly in love with the small firecracker of a human at his side. 

_I really love you too.._

_  
dumbass. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hinata finally learned how boys do itT^T
> 
> I hope this at least partially lived up to all of your expectations! :) I started writing the chapter probably around the same time as chapter 3 or 4, so I’ve been so exited to finally post it!!!
> 
> The next chapter will be more of a short epilogue, and I’ll have it posted either next Sunday or the Sunday after....... and then we’re done ! ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡ (with this fic ;) hehe)
> 
> ~
> 
> IG||@sundance10_art  
> Twitter||@letsgocrazy


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